PECTORAL GORGETS OF SIOUX INDIAN CHIEFS; “RED CLOUD” & “SPOTTED TAIL”.

PECTORAL GORGETS OF SIOUX INDIAN CHIEFS; “RED CLOUD” & “SPOTTED TAIL”. These extremely well provenanced and documented German silver pectoral decorations come from William Starring; a lifetime military officer who graduated from West Point in 1860. Starring served in the Civil War and was transferred to the west where he is most famous for writing the dictionary of the Lakota Sioux which was published on a small army press at Ft. Laramie, Dakota Territory in 1866 and limited to only 50 copies (which the last copy sold for $84,000 in 2005). This book is the first book printed in what would become the state of Wyoming. Starring lived with many Indian scouts and during the winter of 1865 he along with translator Charles Guerreu compiled this extensive vocabulary in his dictionary. He developed an intimate relation with the Sioux that few other white men had opportunity to do in this timeframe. Because of his closeness to the Sioux, Starring was able to obtain these rare relics and document their provenance. The “stylized bird” shaped 6″ and 7″ German silver ornaments still retain there original rawhide cords where they were tied at bottom pectoral vests as seen in contemporary photographs of Indians wearing similar devices. In Starring’s hand are written “Ornament Red Cloud” and “Ornament of Spotted Tail-Sioux Chief”. Red Cloud’s ornament has simplistic engraved effigy of a man and on reverse of each has a stylized four leaf geometric figures as can be seen in photographs and other decorated Indian objects of the mid 19th Century. Each pectoral is enclosed in official military envelopes of the Chief Ordinance Officer, Headquarters Dept. of the Columbia, Vancouver Barracks, W.T. (Washington Territory). Washington did not become a state until 1889. Starring’s last command was at the same barracks where the identifications on envelopes are written where Starring died in 1889. William Starring traveled throughout the American West during the height of the Plains Indian Wars. Starring with his mastery of the Sioux language and his intimacy with many of the Sioux most likely received these ornaments possibly in the peace talks of 1866 where war chiefs Red Cloud, Spotted Tail, Standing Elk and Dull Knife went to Ft. Laramie to negotiate the Treaty of the Powder River Basin. This along with subsequent peace treaties meant very little as Americans and Indians disregarded content and continuing wars continued. Spotted Tail seeing that fighting would be to no avail, no longer led his people to war, but fought for the rest of his life as a statesman in the interest of his people until his death in 1881. Spotted Tail outlived all his other contemporary Sioux Chiefs living into the 20th Century continually looking to advance his peoples interest. Not long after a disappointing first peace talks at Ft. Laramie, with several allied bands in Dec. 1866, Red Cloud went to war again and defeated an American unit in what would be called the “Fetterman Massacre”. This was the largest loss of life of US fatalities to this point in the Indian Wars. Following this battle, a US Peace Commission toured the Plains in 1867 to gather information to help bring peace. This tour culminated in the Treaty of 1868 at Ft. Laramie where Starring could have obtained these Sioux decorations if he had not received them in 1866 at the earlier treaty. Starring no doubt was among the few who knew these chiefs well and spoke their language. These are not necessarily the only times that Starring could’ve seen these chiefs as after this treaty, these two powerful chiefs had reservation agencies named after them. The “Spotted Tail” Agency was built in 1874. The “Spotted Tail” Agency was generally quiet and peaceful throughout the later Indian War. Crazy Horse surrendered there in 1877 and was stabbed to death the next evening while imprisoned. The “Red Cloud” Agency established in 1871 and was moved north three times, finally in 1878 to southern South Dakota and renamed Pine Ridge Agency. The Pine Ridge Agency would be the site of the last “battle” of the Indian Wars in 1890 which would become known as “the Massacre at Wounded Knee”. These wonderful ornaments of which we can find no other similar examples with such iron clad provenance and history belonging to two of the most important Sioux chiefs in American history and would make a wonderful addition to the most advanced museum display of Oglala and Lakota Sioux Indian War artifacts. PROVENANCE: William Starring, descendants of William Starring. Christie’s 2005. CONDITION: Fine overall. Both ornaments are “as found” still retaining there original supple raw hide ties. Decorations are crisp and easily discerned. Ink inscriptions are easily discerned as can be seen in photos. There are areas of staining and soiling and a small bend at the punched hole at the bottom of Spotted Tail’s ornament. The envelopes that hold each ornament are in good, used condition. The imprints and penciled identification are easily read as can be seen in photos. Additional ink inscription below “Spotted Tail” identification is not discernible. Spotted Tail’s envelope is torn at upper right corner with some text missing, however that piece of envelope; approx. 3″ long is present inside envelope and can easily be repaired. 4-46947 JS101 (50,000-100,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2012

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2167	$0.00	PECTORAL GORGETS OF SIOUX INDIAN CHIEFS; “RED CLOUD” & “SPOTTED TAIL”. These extremely well provenanced and documented German silver pectoral decorations come from William Starring; a lifetime military officer who graduated from West Point in 1860. Starring served in the Civil War and was transferred to the west where he is most famous for writing the dictionary of the Lakota Sioux which was published on a small army press at Ft. Laramie, Dakota Territory in 1866 and limited to only 50 copies (which the last copy sold for $84,000 in 2005). This book is the first book printed in what would become the state of Wyoming. Starring lived with many Indian scouts and during the winter of 1865 he along with translator Charles Guerreu compiled this extensive vocabulary in his dictionary. He developed an intimate relation with the Sioux that few other white men had opportunity to do in this timeframe. Because of his closeness to the Sioux, Starring was able to obtain these rare relics and document their provenance. The “stylized bird” shaped 6″ and 7″ German silver ornaments still retain there original rawhide cords where they were tied at bottom pectoral vests as seen in contemporary photographs of Indians wearing similar devices. In Starring’s hand are written “Ornament Red Cloud” and “Ornament of Spotted Tail-Sioux Chief”. Red Cloud’s ornament has simplistic engraved effigy of a man and on reverse of each has a stylized four leaf geometric figures as can be seen in photographs and other decorated Indian objects of the mid 19th Century. Each pectoral is enclosed in official military envelopes of the Chief Ordinance Officer, Headquarters Dept. of the Columbia, Vancouver Barracks, W.T. (Washington Territory). Washington did not become a state until 1889. Starring’s last command was at the same barracks where the identifications on envelopes are written where Starring died in 1889. William Starring traveled throughout the American West during the height of the Plains Indian Wars. Starring with his mastery of the Sioux language and his intimacy with many of the Sioux most likely received these ornaments possibly in the peace talks of 1866 where war chiefs Red Cloud, Spotted Tail, Standing Elk and Dull Knife went to Ft. Laramie to negotiate the Treaty of the Powder River Basin. This along with subsequent peace treaties meant very little as Americans and Indians disregarded content and continuing wars continued. Spotted Tail seeing that fighting would be to no avail, no longer led his people to war, but fought for the rest of his life as a statesman in the interest of his people until his death in 1881. Spotted Tail outlived all his other contemporary Sioux Chiefs living into the 20th Century continually looking to advance his peoples interest. Not long after a disappointing first peace talks at Ft. Laramie, with several allied bands in Dec. 1866, Red Cloud went to war again and defeated an American unit in what would be called the “Fetterman Massacre”. This was the largest loss of life of US fatalities to this point in the Indian Wars. Following this battle, a US Peace Commission toured the Plains in 1867 to gather information to help bring peace. This tour culminated in the Treaty of 1868 at Ft. Laramie where Starring could have obtained these Sioux decorations if he had not received them in 1866 at the earlier treaty. Starring no doubt was among the few who knew these chiefs well and spoke their language. These are not necessarily the only times that Starring could’ve seen these chiefs as after this treaty, these two powerful chiefs had reservation agencies named after them. The “Spotted Tail” Agency was built in 1874. The “Spotted Tail” Agency was generally quiet and peaceful throughout the later Indian War. Crazy Horse surrendered there in 1877 and was stabbed to death the next evening while imprisoned. The “Red Cloud” Agency established in 1871 and was moved north three times, finally in 1878 to southern South Dakota and renamed Pine Ridge Agency. The Pine Ridge Agency would be the site of the last “battle” of the Indian Wars in 1890 which would become known as “the Massacre at Wounded Knee”. These wonderful ornaments of which we can find no other similar examples with such iron clad provenance and history belonging to two of the most important Sioux chiefs in American history and would make a wonderful addition to the most advanced museum display of Oglala and Lakota Sioux Indian War artifacts. PROVENANCE: William Starring, descendants of William Starring. Christie’s 2005. CONDITION: Fine overall. Both ornaments are “as found” still retaining there original supple raw hide ties. Decorations are crisp and easily discerned. Ink inscriptions are easily discerned as can be seen in photos. There are areas of staining and soiling and a small bend at the punched hole at the bottom of Spotted Tail’s ornament. The envelopes that hold each ornament are in good, used condition. The imprints and penciled identification are easily read as can be seen in photos. Additional ink inscription below “Spotted Tail” identification is not discernible. Spotted Tail’s envelope is torn at upper right corner with some text missing, however that piece of envelope; approx. 3″ long is present inside envelope and can easily be repaired. 4-46947 JS101 (50,000-100,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2012 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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