During the Seven Year’s War, French
military engineer Pierre Pouchot was intrigued by Native American warriors who
habitually wore remarkably decorated knife sheaths as a badge of status. The
Indians “always have one suspended round their neck,” explained Pouchot. “Their
knife is hung from the neck,” he wrote, “and falls upon the breast…they regard
this property as sacred as their children.”
Attendees at this year’s CLF
fundraising auction will have the opportunity to acquire a truly outstanding
neck knife and sheath by artists Virgil Henle and Christie Suchora. Henle’s knife
is a quintessential frontier standard. Hand forged from 1084 steel, the blade
is fixed in the leg bone of a young whitetail. The handle is embellished with a
decorative ring and end cap of hand-cast pewter, and the artist imparted the
bone with an appealing aged patina. Henle handily succeeded in crafting a
pleasing but resilient knife that’s ready for work.
The knife is paired with an
exceptional quilled neck knife sheath by artist Christie Suchora. The body of
the sheath was constructed from brain-tanned deerskin. Suchora’s husband John
prepared the hide with a traditional dry scrape method, then heavily smoked the
leather to a rich burnt umber hue. The sheath features an inner protective
lining of Minnesota birchbark.
Adorning the face of the sheath is
Suchora’s quillwork, which can be described as nothing short of a masterpiece
of traditional tribal art. Based on an original 18th century example
in the collection of London’s British Museum, the sheath’s breathtaking loomed
panel features quills colored with period-appropriate dyes, including madder
root, sumac, osage orange, and indigo.
The artistic duo of Henle and
Suchora has teamed up to produce a stunning work of art that’s destined to
become a multi-generational heirloom. “The CLA is amazing,” says Henle, “the
annual show is a great place to see old friends and buy handmade items and see
original pieces.” But more importantly, the organization is crucial to
preserving traditional skills “that might otherwise be lost.”
For more information, contact the artists
directly at:
Virgil Henle, vhenle@yahoo.com
