Arizona republican., 1901-10-05
INDIAN ART PRODUCTS.
Articles That Could Be Used in the
 Adornment of Houses.

There is evidence on every hand of an increasing demand for the art prod ucts of North American Indians. Deai- CTS in artistic pottery and similar ar ticles are beginning with some zest to agitate the question of obtaining ob- jects of Indian manufacture for their warehouses, and Americans are awak- ening to the fact that whi.e they have been sending merchants to SCOUT the orient for things quaint and curious with which to adorn their dwellings a rich treasure was lying neglected at their doors.
 Some of the northwestern tribes have in the past wrought rare and beautiful objects of copper and silver. but. partly for lack of a market and partly bE- cause cf their own poverty, these in- dustries are now forgotten. and others almost equally valuable will also be lost unless some commercial encour- agement is given immediately. The beauty of Indian products that are now obtainabie and their adaptabilty to home decoration are thus illustrated. in a recent number of The Upiolsterer:
 'The Neg Percs tribe make A peculiar flat saddlebag of hemp. with a fine overstitch of threaded corn husks. It is strikingly decorative and the same thing could be worked up by them into
 
 stuffs. At the meeting of the Mobonk conference. last autumn. were shown some highly interesting embroidered cottons made by the little Indian girls They were described as equal to simi- lar crude cottons brought over from the orient. The Pueblos are potters of rare skill Several tribes do bead work. very similar to the wampum em- broideries of ancient times. What rhav d1l in eix h. just as well carried out in larger pieces for interior decorations. The Arapa- hoes and Cheynnes are famous for bead purses. bead belts and passemen- terie, and the same skill that is used for the making of purses and belts could be just as well applied to the making of va ances, galloons. borders. etc. Some of the old Episcopal mis- sion -chapels in the west are gorgeous in their ecc.ssiasticai furnishings for the communion table and altar-all contributed by the Indians. As for basketry. it is surprising what unusual skill Is portrayed in the manipulation of reeds. either fine or coarse. One who has nsver examined the Indian basket has no conception of the character of the work. and yet the Alaskan Indians, who make some of the most beautiful baskets in the world, were on the point of starvation only last winter. The Pimas, of Arizona. manipulate willow in a way that is marvellous. They can manufacture anything. from a heavy chair to a watch charm. The Mokis the Apaches and the Indians of Cali forHia make fabric of maidenhair fern stems interwoven with cedar roots, and many other tribes utilize feathers for decorative purposes. We know of one case where $500 was paid for one old Porsso basket made of in terwoven feathers
 Tt has been predicted that in time Indian curios will become as popular as are the oriental decorations used at present. said dealer yesterday. pThe unusual color effects and odd designs now so much admired in objects brought from the east are also present in the Indian products. and there is no lack of skill. for many of these arts have been handed down from genera ton to generation. In the past the public has become acquainted with h. dian work chiefly by means of occa- sional exhibitions. and through sales by special vendors. If however. the large dealers follow the suggestions lately made by some of their number. and put themselves into direct communica- ton with the Indian agencies. there is prospect of a widespread interest in these neglected works of art There are fifty-six Indian agencies estab- lished by the government in different une.