Split Horn Ermine Bonnet by Bill and Kathy Brewer

Historically accurate replica of a split horn ermine bonnet worn by Indian warriors of the Great Plains during the Indian Wars era (c.1870s) made by Bill and Kathy Brewer. From the tip of each horn, a buckskin thong pigmented red and wrapped with dyed porcupine quillwork attaches to the center of the cap.

Split, beveled and polished buffalo horns painted red on the reverse, decorated with red dyed horse hair, green dyed hackle feathers, ermine fringe, single hawkbell and wrapped seed beadwork over buckskin at tips, are attached to brain tanned buckskin cap with buffalo rawhide reinforcements, both at base of horn and inside of cap. Dyed silk ribbons and more green dyed hackle feathers at base of each horn.

Brow band is beaded with old time color seed beads and has a row of brass hawk bells above the beadwork. At each side of the brow band hang two whole ermine skins, eight shorter ermine tubes, and four dyed silk ribbon pendants.

The cap is covered with ermine fringes.

From the tip of each horn, a buckskin thong pigmented red and wrapped with dyed porcupine quillwork attaches to the center of the cap.

There are 22 ermine tubes hanging from the back over a red wool white selvedge edge trade cloth trailer.

Eight natural peacock wing feathers, decorated with buckskin thong wrapped red wool firecrackers and green dyed hackle feathers, hang below the ermine tubes on the trailer.