Northern Plains Bear Claw Necklace

Northern Plains Bear Claw Necklace

19th century

constructed with 19 golden claws coated with red pigment; claw lengths range from 3-1/2 to 4 inches; restrung with cobalt beads and sea urchin spines

overall length 17-1/2 inches

Large, powerful, and ferocious, the grizzly bear, or grisly bear, as it is often was written, was something to be emulated by a warrior. A lesser-known facts is that Plains Indians regarded bears as great doctors. A person possessing bear power was the specialist to consult when one's life hung in the balance....

The Plains tribes felt it was an equal feat to kill a grizzly bear as to kill a human enemy. In fact, some tribes believed that these bears actually were humans with an altered appearance.... (Hansen 1994: 106).

This lot is located in Cincinnati.
Native American & Prehistoric Art Claws are 19th century. Necklace has been rewrapped and restrung.
Collected in Missouri.