Rare and Historic Painted Hide by Chiricahua Apache Naiche (1856-1919)

Description:

Rare and Historic Painted Hide by Chiricahua Apache Naiche (1856-1919), c. late 19th/early 20th century, depicting one of the last (and possibly the very last) encounter of the Chiricahua "Hostiles" with the U.S. Army and Apache Scouts sometime before their surrender in 1886; at the top is a steer or buffalo head and symbolic circular devices, below is Naiche (Cochise's son),Geronimo, and other Apaches behind large rocks and facing a row of Apache scouts and buckskin-clad Army Scouts, rows of pack animals carrying supplies below them, Naiche signed below his head, with Geronimo's name to his right, 53 x 36 in.

Provenance: Collected at Fort Sills, Oklahoma, by Miss Hendrina Hospers, "on to the buckskin, Naiche made them to sell. I gave him $10 for it. I think you are right about the battle between Geronimo's band, with Naiche an 'assistant' to Geronimo and U.S. Army Apache Scouts. I came to Mescalero with the band in 1913, I believe it was, so I must of bought the buckskin about 1908. I was in Fort Sill 6 1/2 years." The present owner's great-grandfather, Richard H. Harper, was a missionary to the Apache along with Miss Hospers; she gave the robe to the present owner's father, Mr. D. Harper Simms.

Note: Includes a printed history and some original correspondence from Miss Hospers.
Estimate $25,000-35,000


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