Allard Auctions has announced that it will sell a full-size original Native American cradleboard from the Kiowa people on August 9-10 in Santa Fe.
 The cradleboard comes with fantastic provenance, having been consigned by a 90 year old man who remembers its use during his childhood |
The auction house expects the cradleboard to sail past its pre-sale estimate of $20,000-40,000 and "possibly into the record books".
The Kiowa people originate from the Great Plains, migrating from Montana into the Rocky Mountains of Colorado in the 17th to 18th century, before moving to the Southern Plains in the early 19th century. Today, they live on a reservation in Oklahoma.
Cradleboards are traditional baby-carriers used by many of the tribes of North America, usually woven from flexible wood such of willow. They are normally decorated with beaded accents.
The example at auction was made during the early 1900s, and retains its beads and original boards. It has been consigned to the sale by a man in his late 90s, who still remembers playing with the piece as a toy in the 1920s.
The cradleboard was later given to him by his grandmother and has been displayed in his home for the best part of 70 years.
 The war dance of the Cheyenne is sometimes known as the 'fancy dance' due to its fast tempo, which tests the endurance of the warriors |
Holding an identical estimate to the Kiowa cradleboard is a circa-1900 Cheyenne war dance outfit, consisting of a shirt and matching leggings, with beaded geometric strips plus beaded chest shields and a contoured fringe.
Sotheby's recently announced that it will sell the magnificent collection of dealer Allan Stone in November, which features a huge array of tribal and ethnographic artefacts.
Paul Fraser Collectibles is currently offering a strand of hair from famed Apache leader Geronimo for sale - a fantastic gift or perfect addition to any Native American collection.
