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Plains parfleche & beaded hide

Americas tradition · 5 examples · indicative market tier: Under $500 (entry level & living craft)

A parfleche is a Native American rawhide container that is embellished by painting, incising, or both. Envelope-shaped parfleches have historically been used to contain items such as household tools or foods, such as dried meat or pemmican. They were commonly made in pairs and hung from saddles. Wikipedia →

Types & examples

Parfleche
Parfleche, c. 1900
Cleveland Museum of Art
Northern Shoshone parfleche decorations
Northern Shoshone parfleche decorations
Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Northern Shoshone parfleche decorations 2
Northern Shoshone parfleche decorations 2
Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Blackfoot parfleche red
Blackfoot parfleche red
Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Kiowa parfleche 1890 OHS
Kiowa parfleche 1890 OHS
Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Where to buy

1stDibsHigh-end antiques & design marketplaceBrowse listings → LiveAuctioneersAggregated live auctions worldwideBrowse listings → InvaluableAuction-house listings & price archiveBrowse listings → Christie'sMajor-auction results & upcoming salesBrowse listings → EtsyLiving artisans & vintage dealersBrowse listings → eBayBroad secondary market — vet sellers carefullyBrowse listings →

Each link opens a live, image-rich search for this craft on that marketplace. Listings rotate constantly; authenticate significant pieces independently — attribution quality varies widely outside museum collections.