Image 1 of 7
Image 2 of 7
Image 3 of 7
Image 4 of 7
Image 5 of 7
Image 6 of 7
Image 7 of 7
Kiowa Buffalo Hide Shield with Muslin Cover Plains Indian c1850
Kiowa culture, American Plains Indians
Circa 1850/1860
Buffalo hide, mineral pigments, muslin cloth cover
Shield diameter: 16 1/2 in / 41.9 cm
Muslin cover: 17 1/2 in / 44.5 cm
Provenance: Will Knappen, Santa Fe, NM; Jim Flury, Albuquerque, NM; Bill Henderson, Olympia, WA
The Kiowa are a Plains Native American people historically associated with the Southern Plains, especially present-day Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico. By the 18th and 19th centuries, Kiowa life was closely tied to mounted buffalo hunting, warfare, diplomacy, ceremonial practice, and the movement of people, horses, and trade goods across the Plains.
Among the Kiowa and other Plains warrior societies, the buffalo hide shield was far more than a functional piece of defense. It was one of a warrior’s most personal and spiritually charged possessions, connected to protection, status, visionary experience, and responsibility. Shields of this type were often understood through dream instruction or spiritual encounter, with the painted imagery reflecting a relationship between the owner and a particular protective force, animal presence, or power of nature.
This 19th-century example is painted with an avian spirit figure across a deep red ground, with a green crescent above on a yellow field. The central bird form, shown with outstretched wings, gives the shield a strong sense of movement and presence, while the surrounding color fields create a direct, ceremonial composition. The painted surface shows age, handling, and use consistent with a 19th-century Plains object.
The shield retains its muslin cover, from which are suspended two buffalo hide imitation bear ears. This is an important feature, as covers were not merely protective storage elements but part of the ceremonial life and handling of the shield. The survival of the cover gives the object additional context and makes the piece notably complete. Both visually and culturally, this is a significant Kiowa shield: compact in scale, powerful in iconography, and unusually complete with its associated muslin cover.
The piece is accompanied by Art Loss Register certificate #S00253768.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Kiowa culture, American Plains Indians
Circa 1850/1860
Buffalo hide, mineral pigments, muslin cloth cover
Shield diameter: 16 1/2 in / 41.9 cm
Muslin cover: 17 1/2 in / 44.5 cm
Provenance: Will Knappen, Santa Fe, NM; Jim Flury, Albuquerque, NM; Bill Henderson, Olympia, WA
The Kiowa are a Plains Native American people historically associated with the Southern Plains, especially present-day Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico. By the 18th and 19th centuries, Kiowa life was closely tied to mounted buffalo hunting, warfare, diplomacy, ceremonial practice, and the movement of people, horses, and trade goods across the Plains.
Among the Kiowa and other Plains warrior societies, the buffalo hide shield was far more than a functional piece of defense. It was one of a warrior’s most personal and spiritually charged possessions, connected to protection, status, visionary experience, and responsibility. Shields of this type were often understood through dream instruction or spiritual encounter, with the painted imagery reflecting a relationship between the owner and a particular protective force, animal presence, or power of nature.
This 19th-century example is painted with an avian spirit figure across a deep red ground, with a green crescent above on a yellow field. The central bird form, shown with outstretched wings, gives the shield a strong sense of movement and presence, while the surrounding color fields create a direct, ceremonial composition. The painted surface shows age, handling, and use consistent with a 19th-century Plains object.
The shield retains its muslin cover, from which are suspended two buffalo hide imitation bear ears. This is an important feature, as covers were not merely protective storage elements but part of the ceremonial life and handling of the shield. The survival of the cover gives the object additional context and makes the piece notably complete. Both visually and culturally, this is a significant Kiowa shield: compact in scale, powerful in iconography, and unusually complete with its associated muslin cover.
The piece is accompanied by Art Loss Register certificate #S00253768.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.