Collection 2000
2001
Abenaki Long Nose Snowshoes
43” L x 9 ½ W. Red wool tufts front and rear, worn. Heavy babiche in all three panels. Mint condition.
Circa late 1800’s.
($500)
2002
Montagnais Bear Paw Snowshoes – Beaver Tail Pattern.
32” L x 23” W. Phenomenal rare snowshoes with very fine webbing and made by a master snowshoe maker! Red sinew strands on outer side of frames along front and rear sections for wear protection and décor. Near perfect condition. As good as they get!
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($3,100)
2004
Athabascan Child or Small Woman’s Snowshoes.
30” L x 6 ½ “W. From northern Alaska/Northwestern Canada. Heavy babiche webbing in center panel. Great condition. In use repair of one frame approximately 3” long. Splint of same wood wrapped with rawhide, hardly noticeable and strong. Very unique. Excellent condition and very collectible.
Circa 1800’s.
($800)
2005
Cree Style Men’s Snowshoes
55” L x 13 ½” W. Extraordinary pair with upturned fronts, alternating blue, golden tan and red wool tufts along front panel. Rear panel with blue and red alternating wool tufts. Very fine babiche weaving in all 3 panels. The outer frames of the center panel are strung in normal fashion, then wrapped with a fine solid rawhide or gut covering to protect from wear during use. Mint condition! This is the “Best of the Best” and virtually impossible to find today. Eastern Canada.
Circa 1890’s.
($3,400)
2006
Athabascan Child’s Snowshoes/Trade Item
22 ½” L x 4 ½” W. From Northwestern Canada or Alaska. Very fine webbing in three panels. Indian made foot harness on center panel. These have a rare sinew strip from front to rear (except center panel). Fine condition.
Circa late 1800’s.
($650)
2007
Athabascan Child’s Snowshoes/Trade Item
15 ½” L x 3” W/ These have a rare sinew strip from front to rear (except center panel) with black faceted trade beads and some red wool tufts woven into strands. Very rare and unique. Webbing is very fine and delicate. Nice red ochre patina. Approximately 1 ¼” tip of one rear strut is missing.
Circa late 1800’s.
($1,050)
2008
Athabascan Child’s Snowshoes/Trade Item
20 ½” L x 4 ½” W. Light red ochre color. Great Condition. Northwestern Canada or U.S.
Upturned fronts.
Circa 1800’s.
($450)
2009
Chipewyan (Athabascan) Trade Item Snowshoes
13” L x 3 ½” W. Front and rear panels made with wax cord webbing with red, green and tan wool tufts. Striking color and appearance for any collection.
Circa early 1900’s.
($200)
2010
Penobscot Small Child’s Trade Item Snowshoes
18” L x 4 ½” W. Waxed cord webbing with red, green and tan wool tufts. Striking color and appearance for any collection.
Circa 1900’s.
($200)
2011
Penobscot Small Child’s Trade Item Snowshoes
17 ½” L x 4 ½” W. Waxed cord webbing with red, green, yellow and blue wool tufts on front and rear panels.
Circa 1920’s.
($200)
2012
Handmade Bear Paw Snowshoes
21” L x 16” w. Frames are round and simple. Open webbing with heavy rawhide for travel on hard snow pack and use in thick brush and trees. Leather foot harness.
Circa early 1900’s.
($450)
2013
Abenaki Child/Woman’s Size Snowshoes
30” L x 9” W. Red wool tufts front and rear, worn from use. Lantern wick for shoe binding. Fine webbing. Center section with wider selvage cord spacing – very unique.
Circa mid-1800’s.
($1,100)
2014
Abenaki Child/Woman’s Size Snowshoes
36” L x 10” W. Red wool tufts front and rear, worn from use. Harness leather and grommets used for shoe binding. Side frames along center section are wrapped with almost solid babishe for extra protection from wear. Notice the selvage cord in center panel is almost identical to that used in Item # 2013. Very fine webbing in all panels. Rare and very difficult to find. From the R.D. Eckert Indian Collection.
Circa early to mid-1800’s.
($2,000)
2015
Early Inuit (Eskimo) Snowshoes
37” L x 8” W. From the Artic of Alaska or N.W. Canada. Extremely Rare! Each frame is carved from one solid piece of wood (no seams) with Whale Baleen strips wrapped at the front “V” end of each shoe. Heavy babishe made of walrus hide and gut stretched across center panel with open weave to prevent snow build-up. Each shoe has 2 metal spikes approximately ¾” long near the top of the center panel for ice and hard snow travel. These shoes are the only ones of this type I have ever seen in my lifetime!
Circa late 1700’s to early 1800’s.
($3,200
2016
Primitive Bear Paw Snowshoes
26” L x 15” W. “Cross bar” made with heavy babishe. Front panel mostly open with 3 twisted vertical babishe braids. Leather foot harness with buckle. These were found in an old trapper’s cabin in NW Montana in the very early 1900’s.
Circa early 1900’s.
($650)
2017
Abenaki Child/Woman’s Size Snowshoes
28 ½” L x 8 ½” W. Red wool tufts front and rear. Worn from use. Very tight and fine webbing built by a very talented native! Rare and difficult to find.
Circa early to mid-1900’s.
($800)
2018
Attikamek “Square Toe” style Snowshoes
44” L x 19” W. Extremely Rare Snowshoes! In the weaving of the mesh, geometric patterns were created and outlined in red paint in both the toe and tail sections. Exceptionally fine weaving. Original shoe harness and some areas of the center section are made with brain tanned leather. Beautiful double selvage strands woven in the center section creates a design that is unique and rare. The frame in the front and rear section has been thinned for weight. In the very forward toe section, scallops were taken out to gain width resulting in a remaining “heart” shape. This attractive design was most often used in Southeastern Canada. Excellent Condition.
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($5,700)
2019
Athabascan Long and Narrow Snowshoes
38” L x 8” W. From Northern Alaska/Western Canada. Fine woven babishe of rawhide/gut.
Worn old greenish paint, adding interest to any collection. Good condition. High turned up tips.
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($800)
2020
Wooden Salish Snowshoes
36” L x 11 ½” W. Very unusual and rare. Reddish thin wood with 3 heavy crossbars. Two Salish symbols painted green, red and black. From Canada’s southwestern coastline. Prominent toe holes.
Circa 1900.
($750)
2021
Chippewa Miniature Trade Snowshoes
8 ½” L x 2 ¾” W. Made for decorative or trade use. Small handmade shoes with white wool tufts on front and rear panels. Webbing made of yellow cord.
Circa mid- 900’s.
($100)
2022
Penobscot Miniature Trade Snowshoes
7 ¼” L x 2 ¾” W. Handmade frames, colored cord webbing – front and rear golden yellow, center blue. Red wool tufts on front and rear. Striking and well made. Great bold colors back in the day.
Circa late 1800’s.
($200)
2023
Montagnais Miniature Trade Snowshoes
6 ¼” L x 2 ¼” W. Coarsely woven with yellow yarn in center and tan cord on end panels. Red wool tufts along front and rear sections. From Quebec Canada.
Circa 1900.
($150)
2024
Penobscot Miniature Trade Snowshoes
9” L x 4 ¾” W. Rawhide webbing except for green selvage thread. Alternating red and blue tufts on front and rear sections.
Circa 1910-1940.
($200)
2025
Chippewa Style Miniature Snowshoes
14” L x 4 ½” W. Webbing is yarn dipped in wax. Wool tufts with red and green on front and rear sections. Good condition.
Circa 1900’s – 1940’s.
($150)
2026
Chippewa Style Miniature Trade Snowshoes
8 ½ “L x 3” W. Webbing in yarn, yellow in center and tan/blue front and rear sections. Center panel green yarn from frame to selvage cord. Light blue wool along front and rear sections.
Circa 1900’s.
($200)
2027
Cree Miniature Trade Snowshoes
6 ½”L x 2 ½”W. Very authentic tiny shoes. Each section woven with thread. Red and olive green wool tufts front and rear sections. One tail section missing a strut.
Circa early 1900’s.
($200)
2028
Very Small Trade/Decorative Snowshoes
5 ½” L x 1 ¾” W. Webbing is coated cord, round natural frames and red wool tufts. Very attractive and unique.
Circa early 1900’s.
($150)
2029
Attikamek Style “Square Toe” Miniature Snowshoes
9 ½” L x 4” W. Well-made and very striking. End sections woven with red cord and a “V” shaped design of woven red cord. Integration of red and blue cord on cross bars and center section frames is outstanding. Frame design replicates full-sized shoes including thinned frames on front and rear ends. Mixed red and green wool tufts on both end sections. Very rare.
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($650)
2030
Abenaki Style Miniature Trade Snowshoes
7 ½” L x 2 12/” W. Front and rear sections have woven red cord panels and red wool tufts. Center section woven with thin rawhide. Rear struts are held together with round handmade pegs. Outstanding shoes!
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($250)
2031
Montagnais Style Miniature Trade Snowshoes
9” L x 4” W. Well made. Webbing is made of waxed cord that looks like rawhide. Alternating red and white wool tufts along front and rear sections. From Great Lakes region.
Circa late 1800’s /early 1900’s.
($200)
2032
Huron Style Miniature Trade Snowshoes
8” L x 3 ¾” W. Webbing on front and rear sections are made from green cord, center is tan. Red and blue wool tufts along front and rear sections.
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($200)
2033
Montagnais Style Child/Small Woman Snowshoes
18 ½” L x 9” W. Webbing is waxed cord that simulates rawhide. Shoe harness is leather strips tied Indian style. Multiple colors (red, green, orange, blue and golden tan) line front and rear sections. Hand carved pegs on rear struts. Great workmanship.
Circa late 1800’s.
($400)
2034
Very Early Salesman Sample Snowshoes – Bastien Bros.
13 ¾” L x 4” W. Heavy rawhide webbing. In the early 1800’s, “manufacturing” began in Northeast U.S. and Southeastern Canada, especially in Quebec. In 1826, Maurice Bastien, Chief of the Huron tribe and founder of the firm, Bastien Bros. began making snowshoes commercially for more than a century in the quaint village of Indian Lorette, Quebec. “Manufacturing” consisted of many talented Indians making snowshoes nearly every day. Eventually, Bastien Bros. factories were making snowshoes and moccasins from many locations and marketing them worldwide. The Salesman Samples were small versions of their commercial shoes, which consisted of many styles to accommodate for varying snow, ice and other geographic conditions. These samples could be easily transported and shown to trading posts, stores and other distribution outlets.
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($200)
2035
Ojibwa Style Child/Woman Snowshoes
24” L x 8” W. Extraordinary snowshoes! Well designed and crafted. Front and rear sections woven with fine cord and have red and teal blue wool tufts. Two pairs of short horizontal paint lines across each section. Center section is heavier cord and masterfully done. Solid cord wrap on center panel frames and decoratively attached to both cross bars. Traditional Indian wrap style of foot harness made from brain tanned leather. Red and teal markings on numerous areas. Mint condition. Rare!
Circa early 1900’s.
($1,350)
2036
Cree Style Child/Woman Snowshoes
26” L x 6 ¼” W. End sections woven with linen cord, center section with heavy cotton cord which has a heavy wrap on frame sides. Front panel embellished with red ochre painted Indian symbol, end of frames painted red with numerous areas marked with red paint. White wool tufts are mirrored on each side of end sections. Rare and beautiful shoes.
Circa early 1900’s.
($1,000)
2037
Montagnais Style Miniature Snowshoes – Beavertail Pattern
13” L x 8” W. Made in northern Ontario, Canada. Front and rear sections heavy cotton cord. Rawhide in center section is wrapped over gut covering. Front and rear sections have mirrored red and green wool tufts. Numerous red painted markings. In mint condition and rare.
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($400)
2038
Abenaki Style Painted Snowshoes
44 ½” L x 12” W. Well-constructed heavy babiche in all sections. Center panel with old red ochre paint, green front and rear panels, including frames. Lots of use. Leather foot harness. Old paint rarely seen.
Great condition.
Circa late 1800’s.
($900)
2039
Dogrib Style Miniature Trade Snowshoes
20”L x 4” W. High turned up fronts. Old and handmade with heavy babiche center panel and fine rawhide in other panels. Made by an Indian tribe called Dogrib from the Northwest Territories around Great Bear Lake, Canada. Came from an Indian agent there in the 1930’s. High quality and rare.
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
2040
Attikamek Style “Square Toe” Childs/Trade Snowshoes
19” L x 7” W. All babiche woven panels with two round holes in center panel for foot harness attachment. Red wool tufts along frame in front and rear sections, (some missing). Excellent condition.
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($500)
2041
Attikamek Style “Square Toe” Child/Woman’s Snowshoes
28” L x 9: W. Heavier babiche in center panel with foot harness holes and finer rawhide in front and rear panels. Leather foot harness. Red wool tufts front and rear that show some wear. Very well made and great condition.
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($600)
2042
Cree Indian Snowshoes
62” L x 13 ¼” W. This pair was made by Cree Indian Baie James of James Bay, Canada. Bought in 1905 in Newfoundland by an American hunter that hunted with these Indians. Extremely tight weave of babiche, heavier in center panel. High turned up fronts. Selvage of heavy red ochre colored cord follows perimeter of front and rear sections. Center section of frames are covered in tan Indian trade cloth then wrapped tightly with heavier babiche. Foot harness is tied Indian style and made of brain tanned winter shaved rawhide (very white). Front and rear frame tips are painted green with red and green wool tufts. Spring shoes. Incredible design and construction. Mint condition and super rare!
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($2,000)
2043
Manouane Attikamek Round Toe Snowshoes with Geometric Designs
40” L x 20” W. A true work of art! There are many profound elements in these snowshoes but one really stands out: the complex geometric designs actually woven into the panels and enhanced by a pattern of colors. To create these patterns, the maker alters the space or “holes” in the webbing in both shape, size and placement to attain the design – a very complex task. Geometric patterns here are in the front and rear panels which is also where much of the dramatic painting is applied. These shoes have triple selvage strips at the rear of the section. Frames are thinned on the sides near the front and tail sections. Prominent “toe holes” reinforced in center panels provide solid anchoring of the Indian style foot harness, which is made from fine brain tanned leather. Shoes are from Manouane reservation in central Quebec. Also see No. 2044. These are virtually impossible to collect today. Near perfect condition.
Circa early 1900’s.
($6,600)
About the Attikamek Tribe
The snowshoes shown in No. 2043 and 2044 represent the Attikamek snowshoe style. The Attikamek Indians are members of a large group of Algonkian- speaking peoples extending from Labrador to Alberta and including the northern United States. The Manoune Attikamek tribe, located in central Quebec, share affiliations with other neighboring bands: the Algonquin to the west; the Montagnais to the east; the Cree to the North. The Manouane Attikamek tribe created snowshoes that are truly works of art, the best of the best and incredibly functional. Designs are bold and creative. The Attikamek bring a delicate beauty and grace to their creations and place the Attikamek snowshoes among the finest made anywhere on the continent.
2044
Manouane Attikamek “Square Toe” Snowshoes with Geometric Designs
43 ½” L x 18” W. These are the rarest of the rare! Many features and designs described in No. 2043 are similar here, but there are numerous differences. Here, “Square Toe” frame has been thinned to provide a heart shape with scallops on either side. Also, this pair is longer and narrower. In both 2043 and 2044, much of the babiche was made from deer (very thin and fine). In addition, these shoes have several handmade rawhide tufts along the outside edge of each shoe. Mint condition. These would be a star in any collection!
Circa early 1900’s.
($6,200)
2045
Extremely Rare and Unusual All Wooden Snowshoes
27” L x 12” W. Wooden long base approximately ¾’ thick and shoe shape about ½” thick. Handmade foot receiver with heavy and rigid harness leather in heels of “shoes” and buckle keeps the foot in place. When walking, the toe of the wooden shoe dips in a cut out for full extension of the foot. Hand carved square peg provides an arch support. Probably used on crusted and/or frozen snow. A testament to man’s ingenuity.
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($1,600)
2046
Heavy Canvas with Snowshoes on Ski’s
21” L x 9” W. Concept: To “ski” on ice or firm snow and use snowshoes for softer snow in a traditional manner. One quarter inch rope used for mesh with two leather loops on each side for foot harness attachment. Heavy canvas strips are attached over rope mesh, which is also top of skis. Wear on top of canvas shows lots of use so they must have worked pretty darn well.
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($1,400)
2047
Cree Style Snowshoes with Very Turned up Fronts
31” L x 5 ½” W. Very rare and unusual well made snowshoes. Frame front tips have been carved and flattened like “blades”. Fine webbing of waxed cord (center panel) and coated fine cord in front and rear sections. Red and grey chenille wool tufts (heavy) along frame in front and rear panels.
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($800)
2048
Old Cree Ojibwa Style Snowshoes
60” L x 10 ½” W. Heavy babiche lacing with old thick leather foot harness. Black color frames and cross bars, had red wool tufts but are mostly worn off due to in-use wear.. Frames riveted on front and rear. Very striking appearance.
Circa late 1800’s.
($1,600)
2049
Ojibwa Snowshoes
30” L x 11 ½” W. Rare shape, design, great color and in mint condition. Frames made of white birch with front thinned and “square toe” shape. Rear frame also thinned. Center section babiche wrapped over fabric in rear and deer rawhide in front. Foot harness attached Indian style. Brain tanned handmade deer tufts with some red wool at the base along front and rear sections. Webbing made with cord in front and rear panels. Very attractive look. Made at the Lac Du Flambeau Reserve in Wisconsin.
Circa 1930.
($1,200)
2050
Rare Athabascan Snowshoes
53 ½” L x 10” W. From northern Alaska/western Canada. Front, rear and third sections finely woven. Center section with heavy babiche (probably moose or caribou rawhide) with open weave that extends along the outside frame of center section. Sinew strand woven down center of front section. Great pair of shoes with striking eye appeal and reddish patina! Extra rawhide mesh on front and rear section are attached only to the inside of frames – no holes or wrap over top, bottom and outer edge! Three crossbars, four panels. Very unique. Mint condition.
Circa mid to late 1800’s.
($3,450)
2051
Rare Athabascan Snowshoes
55” L x 10” W. From northern Alaska/western Canada. Three crossbars and four sections. All have single sinew strands down each section except center one (foot attachment). Webbing strung on inside of wood frames with no exposure to the outer edge to prevent wear. Extra toe wraps over frame. Broken frame near the end of the toe section, but can be easily glued together. Common in-use fraying in toe section. Beautiful style, red/rust patina and great craftsmanship. Good condition.
Circa mid to late 1800’s/very early 1900’s.
($3,600)
2052
Extremely Rare and Beautiful Athabascan Snowshoes
64” L x 12” W. From northern Alaska/western Canada. Three crossbars and four sections. All have single sinew strands down each section except center one (foot attachment). Webbing strung on inside of wood frames with no exposure to the outer edge to prevent wear. This was done by a real master – Rare! Extra toe wraps over frame. Center (foot section) has extra heavy woven babiche strands (two each) running from the forward crossbar to the center one. At the points where these strands meet the crossbars, each one is wrapped over Red Indian trade cloth. All of the sinew strands have red ochre “dots” (paint) along their paths. Reddish patina. This is one of the most outstanding pair of snowshoes I have ever seen! Mint condition.
Circa 1800’s.
($5,700)
2053
Very Rare Athabascan Child Snowshoes
33” L x 7” W. From northern Alaska/western Canada. Three crossbars and four sections. All panels with single sinew strands down the center have red ochre painted dots following strands. Webbing strung on inside of wood frames with no exposure to the outer edges. Extra toe wraps over frame. Indian brain tanned leather for shoe harness. Frames have reddish patinas. Almost impossible to find today. Mint condition.
Circa mid to late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($3,100)
2054
Micmac Tribe Miniature Trade Snowshoes
15” L x 4 ½“W. Great set of miniatures. Front and rear panels woven with cord. Center panels woven with fine rawhide that wraps over Red Indian trade cloth. Frames along front and rear sections with red wool tufts. Front tips are very high. Overall, they have a great look and are well crafted. Lots of features in a small size.
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($350)
2055
Cree Style Miniature Trade Snowshoes
13 ½” L x 2 ¾” W. Unusual four panel pair with all cord webbing, some waxed. Very high turned up fronts. Green wool tufts along frames, none in center panel. Very well made, excellent condition.
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($500)
2056
Attikamek Style Child Snowshoes
21” L x 8” W. Very fine cord webbing in front and rear panels. Center panel rawhide wrapped over fabric, with two round holes for foot harness attachment. Frame of square toe style. Orange and black wool yarn tufts, long and uncut. Very unique! Well used,
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($700)
2057
Montagnais Men’s Bear Paw Snowshoes
28 ½” L x 20 ½” W. All babiche webbing with Indian style leather strap foot harness. Three red and sage green wool tufts on frame of front panel, but mostly worn off by heavy use. This style used for heavy snow in wooded country. Old and rare snowshoes.
Circa mid to late 1800’s.
($2,500)
2058
Ojibwa/Cree Style Snowshoes
59” L x 14” W. From Great Lakes region. Extraordinary, rare and very early. Fine babiche tightly woven in all four sections. In the weaving of the mesh, geometric patterns were created and outlined in red paint in both toe and tail sections. Forward frames very turned up and widened on tips (very unusual). Foot panel babiche woven over trade fabric on side frames. Blue wool tufts along frame sides in front show wear as this pair was well used. Some in use wear in webbing. Nearly impossible to find such a rare piece today.
Circa 1800’s.
($4,400)
2059
Montagnais Style Miniature Trade Snowshoes
13’ L x 3” W. Olive green yarn mesh in center panel, gold cord front and rear sections. Olive green wool tufts front and rear. Very well made and in good condition. From the Pirnack Collection.
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($350)
2060
Montagnais Style Miniature Trade Snowshoes
16” l X 4 ¾” w. All sections woven with babiche/gut. Very well crafted. Full red tufts in front and rear.
Circa late 1800’s/mid 1900’s.
($250)
2061
Attikamek Style Miniature Trade Snowshoes
12 ½” L x 4 ¾” W. Masterful weaving with gold twine. Blue wool tufts both ends. Great pair of shoes in near perfect condition.
Circa late 1800’s/mid 1900’s.
($300)
2062
Ojibwa Style Snowshoes
53” L x 12 ½” W. Incredibly rare and unique shoes. Nearly impossible to find today. Lots of use. Webbing in front and rear panels are made with heavy waxed cord. Center panel with heavy babiche strips wrapped over heavy fabric/leather and waxed. Upturned fronts. Brain tanned leather tufts along full length of frames. Where leather tufts are present along front and rear panels, a groove has been hand-carved where heavy cord is inlaid. Hand carved crossbars and frames. This is a work of a master snowshoe maker!
Circa 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($4,000)
2063
Ojibwa Style Miniature Trade Snowshoes
24” L x 5 ½” W. Great classic turned up fronts. Center panel strung with sinew strands wrapped over light colored trade cloth. Front and rear sections strung with blue-green cord. Blue and orange wool tufts on front end. Brain tanned leather foot harness- Indian style. Great workmanship.
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900s.
($400)
2064
Montagnais Style Snowshoes
44 1//2” L x 13” W. Babiche rawhide in each panel. Front and rear panels with double selvage cords creating a very attractive design. Frames thinned in front section. In-use wear in front and rear sections. Great pair of snowshoes.
Circa late 1800’s/very early 1900’s.
($1,850)
2065
Attikamek “Square Toe” Snowshoes
44” L x 14 ¼” W. Extremely fine woven babiche with double selvage strands front and rear sections, very striking feature. Frames are thinned in front and rear with front tips carved out creating a “heart shape”. Very old with some in-use repairs. Alternating red/green wool tufts present but short from wear. Extremely fine crafted shoes with rich golden patina. A rare piece in any collection! From central Quebec, Canada.
Circa mid- 1800’s.
($1,600)
2066
Ojibwa Style Miniature Trade Snowshoes
12” L x 3 ½” W. All panels are woven with red and sage green cord. The cross bars and frames and frames of center sections have red/sage colors and all three sections have red/sage designs. Very fine decorative patterns and very up-turned fronts combine to make a striking pair of snowshoes.
Circa late 1800’s/early 1900’s.
($550)
2067
Montagnais Single Bar Bear Paws
17 ¾” x 14 ½” W. Woman or child’s shoes made of babiche, extra fine weaving. Red wool tufts around front perimeter but mostly worn off from in-use wear. Great example of top of the line Indian made Bear Paws. Very old but in great condition. Photo on page 93 of the book “American Indian Snowshoes”
Circa 1800’s.
($2,100)
2068
Very Old Athabascan Snowshoes with Original trade Beads
47” L x 9 ¼” W. From northwestern U.S. or western Canada. Three Cross bars and four sections with woven single rawhide strands and alternating beads. They are strung in order of red (largest), black (medium) and light blue being the smallest, then repeated throughout.
These Indian trade beads are authentic and very old. The bead count is 30 and 31 respectively for a total of 61 beads. The rawhide babiche in the shoe panel is very unique with heavy rawhide strips running vertically and horizontally with diagonal strips forming an “X” configuration (one strip missing).
All of the outside frame edges, except shoe panel, have no holes – an incredibly difficult feat. Rich mahogany colored patina. One of the rarest of the rarest collectible native snowshoes.
Circa 1800’s.
($7,900)
2069
Montagnais Bear Paw Beaver Tail Snowshoes
34” L x 19” W. Extremely rare shoes done in “round nose” style. In the weaving of the mesh, geometric patterns were created and outlines in red paint in front and rear sections. Exceptionally fine weaving. In the center section, rawhide strands are wrapped over tan trade cloth of outer frames. Three red/green wool tufts on front and rear with carved painted red lines on top of frame above tufts. From Quebec, Canada and reported as Cree made. Weaving and design by a master snowshoe maker. Very old but still great condition. Virtually impossible to find.
Circa 1800’s.
($4,850)
2070
Attikamek Medium Size “Square Toe” Snowshoes
30” L x 13 ¼” W. Super fine babiche weaving with double spacing at the head of the toe. Woven strands at junction of front cross bars and frame wrapped over Red Indian trade cloth. Great selvage designs, wonderful rich patina and very early. A real work of art!
Circa early 1800’s.
($2,650)
2071
Unique Pointed-Toe Athabascan Snowshoes
60” L x 12” W. Very different shoe style with flattened frame fastened at the ends with copper rivets. Mesh in all sections very open with heavy babiche, probably moose or elk hide. Made for fast travel on hard snow and ice. Foot harness made with lantern wick. Collected near Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Excellent condition.
Circa 1920.
($1,300)