American Indian
Indian Trade Beads and Artifacts

801918 - BRASS ARROW POINTS MADE FROM A TRADE KETTLE, DANN SITE, ROCHESTER, NY, 2 different sized brass arrow points designed for small animal/bird hunting. Dann Site near Rochester, NY, c 1670 - 1720...................$85.00

4040 - SOLID SILVER RELIGIOUS MEDAL WESTERN NEW YORK, 1" X 1.78". A silver religious medal circ 1750 found in Western New York. Obv, bust of Jesus Christ, Latin legends surround, Rev, Bust of Mary, Mother of God. The medal was made in Paris and probably originated out of Canada and was either brought back by a traveler or as a result of some Indian raid as the Jesuits were out of New York by this time in Colonial history. The loop is intact and the surfaces show some moderate ground action but both sides have high relief. Silver medals, especially this size, are rarely ever found. Extremely nice.............................................................$475.00

2275 - CANOJAHARIE NEW YORK INDIAN BEADS STRUNG WITH A SPANISH PIECE OF EIGHT, white, red, and blue tubular beads period 1760 - 90 called "old glass wampum". These attractive beads were sewn on a blouse or worn on a necklace. A reconstructed large necklace with a 1823 Spanish Piece of Eight with a portrait of Ferdinand VII. Ex-Box Winters Collection. 20" coin in choice condition [holed]......................................................................$175.00

2277 - EARLY SOUTH CAROLINA NATIVE AMERICAN BEAD NECKLACE, 1400 - 1650, a native American reconstructed necklace composed of drilled bone, fossil shark vertebrae, clay pipe stems excavated near the Cooper River near Charleston. This necklace dates from the pre- colonization period to the early exploration period and some items were used as early trading items among the native Indians of that area along with shells. This necklace is indicative of a coastal tribe near the sea using the vertebrae of prehistoric sharks which is abundantly found along the South Carolina coast........................................................$250.00

2278 - A BEAUTIFUL SET OF FRENCH GOOSEBERRY BEADS - CHICKASAW BLUFFS, TENNESSEE, Shelby County, Tennessee, 20" strand of French "Gooseberry" quartz beads, c. 1750. White lines in the beads make for nice eye appeal, nice ground action, reconstructed strand................................................$165.00

2280 - INDIAN TRADE SILVER, A silver "Delta" shaped earring that is holed in one tip. c. 1780 - 1800 and dug in the southeast. What is interesting about this piece is it was recycled from probably an arm band noting the old designs that run vertically. Fine................................................$85.00

2284 - GEORGE II SILVER INDIAN PEACE MEDAL, the obverse depicts the laureate head of King George II, facing left, in jacket of cloth and armor. Surrounding is the inscription GEORGIVS II DEI GRATIA. The reverse shows an Indian seated on the ground to the left, and at the right a colonist (in the style of popular depictions of William Penn) seated on a rock, holding a calumet or peace pipe aloft in his right hand. Behind him is a deciduous tree. In the background is a blazing council fire, while a sun with rays illuminates the scene. The inscription LET US LOOK TO THE HIGH WHO BLESSED OUR FATHER'S WITH PEACE. The date 1757 written as 1757 is in the exergue. 44mm plain edge struck by the US Mint in the late 19th Century, Julian IP - 49, un-circulated with a steel blue tone. Struck by a new set of dies by the mint. The original medals were struck on Spanish pieces of eight and bring six figures. This attractive re-strike..............................................$450.00

1192 - JESUIT MEDAL, WATKINS SITE, CAYUGA/IROQUIS SITE, NEW YORK 1690 - 1730, 25mm, bronze medal with partial loop. Two worshipers kneeling beneath the three crosses of cavalry, reverse St. Peter stands with sword as he tried to defend Christ in the Garden when Christ was taken prisoner [Mount of Olives], good details, oval shape..........................................................$125.00

11030 - NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN, WALLER STYLE CUTTING BLADES, ARCHAIC PERIOD 8000 - 1000 BC, ELMORE COUNTY, AL, three "Waller Style" cutting blades or fashioned quartz, 2" - 2.25". Used for scraping or cutting, the lot of three.............................................$125.00

11031 - NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN, EDGEFIELD CUTTING BLADE, ARCHAIC PERIOD 8000 - 1000 BC, ELMORE COUNTY, AL, 3" quartz cutting small knife blade......................................$59.00

11032 - NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN, ROUND STONE MACEHEAD, ARCHAIC PERIOD 8000 - 1000 BC, ELMORE COUNTY, AL, put in a leather thong and used as a swinging mace head, 4.5" early Archaic weapon.........................................$95.00

11033 - NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN, CELT AXE HEAD, ARCHAIC PERIOD 8000 - 1000 BC, ELMORE COUNTY, AL, 4.5" greenstone Celt axe head in good form. Late Archaic period, used for woodworking...............................$115.00

11034 - NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN, GREENSTONE TOMAHAWK HEAD, ARCHAIC PERIOD 8000 - 1000 BC, ELMORE COUNTY, AL, Made from greenstone with a good tomahawk shape, 4.75" really nice style.....................................$165.00

11035 - NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN, BROWN STONE CELT, ARCHAIC PERIOD 8000 - 1000 BC, ELMORE COUNTY, AL, several notches, used for woodworking, very early Celt, early Archaic Period....................................$75.00

11036 - NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN, GRANITE AXEHEAD, ARCHAIC PERIOD 8000 - 1000 BC, ELMORE COUNTY, AL, 5" chipped granite axe head in good style, early Archaic Period. A great example......................................$195.00

11037 - NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN, POTTERY GAME TOKENS, WOODLAND TO MISSISSIPPIAN PERIOD, 1000 BC - 1650 AD, ELMORE COUNTY, AL, pottery sound and oblong pottery game tokens that range in size from 3/4" to 1.25", all in tack, 5 different................................................$35.00

50623 - 18TH CENTURY TRADE BEADS FROM NEW YORK, 20" strand that has been restrung. A strand of heavy white globular trade beads excavated in upstate New York that are Dutch in all probability. Nice tone to the beads showing good ground wear........................................$125.00

5134 - CHEROKEE WOMAN FROM GEORGIA, 1/6th plate ambrotype in a hanging wall frame. A well-dressed elderly Cherokee woman with dark complexion and distinctive Indian features. The identification on the inside of the case notes "SARAH WIFE OF GREAT UNCLE THOMAS DOWD CHEROKEE FROM CARTERSVILLE, 1859". The town of Cartersville is in North-West Georgia in Bartow County. Obviously Thomas Dowd escaped the "Trail of Tears" of the Cherokees in the early 1830's and settled on private lands in Northwest Georgia. Although a huge number of Cherokees were forced west to Oklahoma, groups were allowed to remain in the East who lived on private lands and not tribal lands. By this time, the Cherokees had become quite assimilated with the lifestyle of the whites as this 1859 photograph shows clearly of Sarah Dowd in fancy clothing, but here Indian ancestry is unmistakable................................................$495.00

SENECA SITE, CHERRY HILL, NY, 17th - 18th Century, 17" strand of rust-colored trade beads excavated from a Seneca site, Cherry Hill, NY. Probably French in origin and date to the late 17th Century..............................$125.00

SENECA SITE, CHERRY HILL, NY, 17th - 18th Century, 18" strand of heavy white Dutch beads, globular in style. Lots of ground action and light staining to these heavy beads which became favorites of the Eastern tribes being so massive..................................$150.00

FRENCH COLONIAL TRADE BEADS, 1700 - 1740, Elmore County, AL. Creek site, 28". Strand of aqua tubular glass beads. These delicate French beads are shown in the Tunica Treasure listing of pre-1760, SE Indian beads, choice......................................$250.00

ELMORE COUNTY, AL, 1750 - 1770, 22". Dutch blue globular shaped beads. Excavated in Elmore County, AL. Dark blue beads. Very Fine.....................$200.00

ELMORE COUNTY, AL,

ELMORE COUNTY, AL, c 1720 - 1740, 41" overall (could be broken into two necklaces). Similar colors, but more uniform bead size, from the same site as previously mentioned. No tag, but from same creek site. Found in 1963................$250.00

HILLSBORO COUNTY, FL, c 1670 - 1720, large tubular, bright green Spanish trade beads, 36" restrung set, with old tag showing site dug and date as December 1973 in Hillsboro County, FL. Nice graduated beads ranging to 5/8". First ones we have had of this style..........................$295.00

HILLSBORO COUNTY, FL, early 1700's, large globular shaped Spanish trade beads, 42" huge strand of bright green trade beads. Dug with the above beads, but no tag. Could be made into two necklaces if desired..................$350.00

TRIGG COUNTY, KY, c 1780, 28". Stand of Koalin pipestem beads with the tubular beads measuring 1/2" to 1". Mellow ivory color. Nice long set. Scarce site and beads in nice condition..............................$135.00

EARLY SPANISH TRADE BEADS, FL, Mission Era, 1600 - 1750, 24". Leon & Gadsden Counties, FL. Venetian cane drawn white/light blue beads. Great ground tone....................................................$110.00

EARLY SPANISH TRADE BEADS, FL, Mission Era, 1600 - 1750, 24". Leon & Gadsden Counties, FL. Venetian cane drawn, medium globular beads of a dark blue color. Very Attractive........................................$125.00

EARLY SPANISH TRADE BEADS, FL, Mission Era, 1600 - 1750, 22". Leon & Gadsden Counties, FL. Dutch wire wound barrel, light turquoise and dark green. First ones we have seen with this color scheme. Nice...........................$175.00

ELMORE COUNTY, AL, c 1680 - 1760, 22". Strand of Dutch wire wound large beads, quartz. Various shades of blue used by both French and English traders in the area. Ex-Edmund Hannum Collection, Ardmore, OK (old tag). Massive beads.........................$150.00

ELMORE COUNTY, AL, c 1680 - 1760, 21". Strand of Venetian cane drawn tubular blue beads. 1/2" - 5/8" in length. Quite large beads. Ex-Edmund Hannum Collection, Ardmore, OK (old tag).................................$140.00

MONROE COUNTY, TN, c 1760, 22". Strand of large red English trade beads of various sizes, 1/4" - 1/2". Great ground action lends for a milky-white appearance. Excavated in Tanasee town, Monroe County, TN. Cherokee site. Ex-Edmund Hannum Collection, Ardmore, OK (old tag). Great set..................................$185.00

MONROE COUNTY, TN, c 1760, 21". Strand of white quartz-colored large beads. English in origin. Excavated Tanasee town, Monroe County, TN. Lots of wear and ground action. Ex-Edmund Hannum Collection, Ardmore, OK (old tag).......................$150.00

MONROE COUNTY, TN, c 1760, 20". Strand of rust and white large trade beads. English in origin. Excavated Tanasee town, Monroe County, TN. Great ground action. Ex-Edmund Hannum Collection, Ardmore, OK (old tag)...........................$150.00

MONROE COUNTY, TN, c 1760, 21". English trade beads of dark blue tubular beads. Excavated at Tanasee Town, Monroe County, TN. Large beads measuring 5/8" to 1" each. Ex-Edmund Nannum Collection, Ardmore, OK (old tag).........................$150.00

ALABAMA QUARTZ COLORED TRADE BEADS, c 1750, 22" restrung necklace of probably Dutch glass beads that resemble quartz. 1/4" or slightly smaller beads. Excavated in Alabama (Coosa, Elmore, or Tallapoosa Counties - no specific site given)......................................$135.00

ALABAMA LARGE BLUE TUBULAR BEADS, c 1730 - 1750, 22" 1/2 to 1/4 large tubular glass blue beads that are probably English and very similar to the smaller versions found at the Fort Moore site in Savannah town. These are darker blue and heavier. Excavated from a Alabama site within these counties - Coosa, Elmore, and Tallapoosa - no specific site given..........................$150.00

ALABAMA SMALL SPANISH BEADS, 17th Century, 22" restrung set of multi-colored Spanish beads. All colors of the rainbow. Excavated in Coosa, Elmore, or Tallapoosa County in Alabama. Nice colors......................$125.00

ALABAMA SMALL BLUE SEED BEADS, early 18th Century, 22" restrung, dark to medium blue seed beads. Excavated in Coosa, Elmore, or Tallapoosa County Alabama - no specific site given.......................$85.00

ALABAMA LARGE SHELL STYLE BEADS, early 18th Century or possibly earlier, 22" restrung necklace of shell beads. Different hues of ivory and white. Excavated in Coosa, Elmore, or Tallapoosa County Alabama. No distinct site given.............................$145.00

ST. JOHN'S COUNTY, FL, 17th Century, 30" restrung strand of blue to green Spanish trade beads. Old tag states dug in St. John's County, Florida. Globular trade beads, tag states 1630 - 1670, scarce.......................$195.00

ST. JOHN'S COUNTY, FL, middle to late 17th Century, 32" restrung strand of dark blue Spanish beads. Old tag states dug in October 1960. Different hues of blue, un- common.......................$195.00

CATLINATE BEADS, 18" necklace, also known as Minnesota pipestone. These beads are often carved into pipes. Traded extensively through the Great Lakes. Popular in the Northern States and Midwest.................$150.00

SUPERB JESUIT RING, WARREN CITY, IN, c 1720. Wea Indian site, Warren City, Indiana. Round placque ring with ornamental XX with other decorative trim. Complete and intact from an early 18th century Indiana site. Near perfect..........................$325.00

JESUIT TRADE RING, WEA SITE, WABASH RIVER, IN, 18th century Indiana, Wea Indian Site. Along the Wabash River, Indiana. Complete brass ring with a large leaf and flower. Lovely green patina. Usually worn in multiples and a favorite of the Eastern Indian tribes when given to them by the Jesuit missionaries. Very fine..............................................$325.00

BRASS INDIAN TRADE KETTLE, c 1780 - 1820, 3.75" X 7.0". Brass pot with iron bail. Completely intact as the iron bails tend to break off on most. Typical style traded to the Indians. Ex-New York Collection..............................................$195.00

INDIAN TRADE SILVER BROOCH, 2.5" round silver brooch. Circles and diamonds punched out designs. Some decorative engraving, as it should be - very thin silver. Some minor bends that could be straightened but 100% in tact and good body to the silver (sometimes leached out by the ground minerals). Excavated from an Ottawa site in Michigan. Getting impossible to find authentic trade silver........$425.00

BEAUTIFUL EARLY INDIAN CLOTH POUCH, late 18th Century - early 19th Century, 5" X 5 1/2", dyed orange fabric with pattern of cross with decorative trim. Both made of seed beads - seed beads on back, drawstring to close. Very fine condition and very attractive...................................$395.00

BEAUTIFUL BEADED INDIAN FABRIC BELT, late 18th Century - early 19th Century, 3" X 24". Based on the antique cloth base, seed beads of red, blue, white, and gray. Sewn in an attractive flower design. Some loss of beads at one end, but otherwise fine condition. Seneca in origin from an old New York collection...................$350.00

SUPERB RELIGIOUS MEDAL, 1750 - 1770, large portrait of the Madonna, verso shows  St. Peter in a rough sea. Superb details. 1" overall with intact eyelet. Lovely brown patina to highlight the details. Difficult to improve on. Site unknown...................................$195.00

8002 - JESUIT TRADE RING, IHS INSCRIPTION, Bronze Jesuit trade ring with the popular inscription "IHS" on the face, excavated in Northern New York State, late 17th Century, nice patina. The IHS monogram is an abbreviation or shortening of Jesus' name in Greek to the first three letters. Thus ΙΗΣΟΥΣ, ιησυς (iēsus, "Jesus"), is shortened to ΙΗΣ (iota-eta-sigma), sometimes transliterated into Latin or English characters as IHS or IHC. It was popularized in the fifteenth century, however, by Franciscan disciple Bernadine of Sienna as a symbol of peace. In 1541, St. Ignatius Loyola adopted the symbol with three nails below and surrounded by the sun as the seal of the Jesuit order. A very nice example...........$200.00 SOLD

4041 - FRENCH SILVER CUFF BUTTONS WITH INTACT PASTE STONES, Two silver button with paste stones connected as a cuff link, found in general area of Old Fort Frontenac [Cataraqui] near Picton, Ontario, early to mid 18th Century. It is unusual for the "cabochons" or paste stones to be still in the mounts....................................$75.00 SOLD

4044 - SENECA SITE, WARREN SITE 1610 - 1630, 19" strand or restrung glass beads in red, blue, green, and white. Found Augusta Warren property, West Bloomfield Lot #75. An early site on the east bank of Honeoye Creek........$145.00 SOLD

4045 - SHORT STRAND OF DUTCH FACETED BEADS, 6" of large trade beads that date to 1700. Translucent mandrel wound, faceted, clear and blue bead examples, similar beads found at Fort Michilimackinac in Michigan and Hiawassee in Tennessee. Has old collector's tag. These are unusual due to the facets.......................................................................$40.00 SOLD

2270 - EARLY 18TH CENTURY JESUIT RING, WATKINS SITE, CAYUGA/IROQUIS SITE, NEW YORK 1690 - 1730, Bronze trade ring used by the Jesuits to promote their religious efforts among the Indians. This woman's ring has the popular heart shaped face with an ear of corn on the face. This signified God's love and the bounty God provided to the Indians [maize/corn]. This example has an excellent face; trifle strengthening to the ring portion that is not detectable it is so well done.......................$225.00 SOLD

2271 - INDIAN TRADE SILVER BROOCH, 2.5" round silver brooch. Circles and diamonds punched out designs. Some decorative engraving, as it should be - very thin silver. Some minor bends that could be straightened but 100% in tact and good body to the silver (sometimes leached out by the ground minerals). Excavated from an Ottawa site in Michigan. Getting impossible to find authentic trade silver.......................................................................$395.00 SOLD

2279 - A RARE HUGE INDIAN TRADE BEAD, c. 1760, 2" in length, 1" think with attractive layers of red, white, and blue decorations to the core. Found within one mile of Fort Michimackinac. Fort Michimackinac was an 18th Century French, and later British, fort and trading post in the Great Lakes of North America. Built around 1715, it was located along the southern shore of the strategic Straits of Mackinac connection Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, at the northern tip of the lower peninsula of the present-day state of Michigan in the United States. These huge trade beads are extremely rare. Ex-Bob Oswald Collection.........................................................$145.00 SOLD

2281 - AN OUTSTANDING 18TH CENTURY RELIGIOUS MEDAL IN SUPERB CONDITION, 1.25" high, Virgin Mary/St. Peter in rough seas, with eyelet, from an uncertain Jesuit site in New York. Beautiful brown patina, abnormally large and probably one of the nicest we have ever offered..................................$200.00 SOLD

11170 - JESUIT BRASS CRUCIFIX, Late 18th Century turn of 19th Century. 73mm brass crucifix excavated from the Mohawk Valley in New York, has been cleaned of soil deposits. Great honest wear to both the cross and crucifix. Style carried by a priest ministering to the Indians in that area. A great example..........................$200.00 SOLD

11171 - JESUIT MISSIONARY MEDAL, PAPAL BUST OF POPE INNOCENT IV, Late 17th, early 18th Century. 26mm bronze medal, complete eyelet, INC IV in legend. Pope holding his papal crozier (staff), reverse a church with cross above, three rings denoting the Trinity. Innocent IV, who died in 1254, was instrumental in allowing several important religious orders to form including the Franciscans and the Poor Claire Nuns, Western New York site. Very fine..................................................$150.00 SOLD

110310 - NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN, FIRE STARTER MADE FROM A CROYOID VERTEBRAE, ARCHAIC PERIOD, 8000 - 1000 BC, ELMORE COUNTY, AL, round, small vertebrae of a fish used as a fire starter, rust patina to the bone.......................$45.00 SOLD

3235 - CHOCTAW INDIAN LEATHER POUCH, BLACK POWDER HORN, AND PATCH KNIFE, 3 items. Bag is 6" X 8" with a long extended flap to the front. Leather has a two flap over time. Wild boar hunting bag with original cording, the 12" powder horn has a brass spout, very good less a small worn hole 1/8". The cloth patch knife is 6" overall and has a wooden handle with as design of reverse arrows as well as a CP carved in the handle. Originated from a family near Pontotoc, Mississippi near the Choctaw Reservation. The Choctaws fought with Jackson against the Creeks as well as some fought at the Battle of New Orleans. By the 1820's, there was a push to move the eastern tribes away from their homelands in the Southeast and most were forced to new Indian territories in Oklahoma under tremendous hardship during a march known as the "Trail of Tears" in the 1830's. Many stayed behind in Mississippi and Alabama and felt the same oppression as Blacks during the antebellum period and the Jim Crow years. We date this grouping between 1800-1830 with the pouch having tendencies to be possibly earlier. Just purchased in North Mississippi................................................... SOLD

2283 - EXTREMELY RARE HEADPIECE DECORATION DEPICTING A SEMINOLE CHIEF, 5.5" X 4.5" stamped metal hat piece decoration for either a turban headpiece or shako hat, c 1830's, has two weld spots on the verso that once had hooks or pins to attach to a head piece. We have had this for years [bought it in 1985] and this is the first time we have ever offered it for sale. Previous owner told us it had been excavated at a trading post site near present day Harper's Ferry, VA. Frankly I have held on to it for all these years as it resembled Osceola and the garb in the plate resembles Seminole chiefs published in the McKinney Hall portrait series of the 1840. Nevertheless it is for sale now and may be a sleeper for someone to research further. In excellent condition.......................$495.00 SOLD

2276 - FORT QUIATENON, INDIANA, Dutch blue and black globular beads 1690 - 1763 from a early French trading post site in Indiana in the late 17th Century. 20" restrung, have good color..................................................................$145.00 SOLD

1190 - FORT TOULOUSE, ALABAMA, FRENCH PERIOD 1717 - 1763, 8" double barbed fishing spear, the style used for trading with the local Creeks. This spear point has a wrap around socket very similar to pikes and spear points found in the northeast colonies during the early part of the 18th Century. Fort Toulouse was founded by the French in 1717 as a buffer from the English in Georgia. In the early years, the fort was staffed by French Marines. In 1751, the fort was replaced with a new fort. After the French & Indian War [1763], the French withdrew and the fort was abandoned. During the Creek Wars, Jackson built a fort on the site of the old French fort and it was named Fort Jackson. This spear point dates to the French period in that area. Ex-Dr. R.P. Burke Collection [excavated on private land]. Overall condition is fine with the barb end very distinct. French trading items of this period are rare.................................................................$295.00 SOLD

1194 - JESUIT MEDAL, WATKINS SITE, CAYUGA/IROQUIS SITE, NEW YORK 1690 - 1730, 25mm, bronze medal with full loop. Christ crowned and holds a scepter, reverse St. Claire, canonized in 1255 and founded the Poor Clare's religious order for women. Exceptionally sharp details..............................................$145.00 SOLD

11404 - AMERICAN FUR TRADE, JESUIT RING, C 1720, copper ring, excavated in a Wea Indian site, Warren City, Indiana. French Jesuit ring, floral design with branch with leaves and flowers. Quite nice face and excellent shape to ring itself. Very fine...........................................$250.00 SOLD

11405 - AMERICAN FUR TRADE, JESUIT RING, C 1720, copper ring, excavated in a Wea Indian site, Warren City, Indiana. French Jesuit ring, large XX in center with striation decorative trim to sides, sharp face and extremely nice overall............................................$250.00 SOLD

Back to top