PLAINS INDIAN COYOTE SKULL TALKING STICK,19th-20th century, possibly Lakota, Sioux. Lower and upper jaws of skull are lashed together with thick leather sinews. Skull affixed with thick leather sinews wrapped around top of the wooden stick handle with brass tacks, holding the sinews in place. Immediately below, stick is encircled with a piece of animal fur, followed by two pieces of horse hair, held on the stick by leather sinews, covered, in part, by two red bands. Immediately below the fur, are several inches of red and black and white seed beads encircling the handle, with thick leather sinews encircling stick, followed by two pieces of horse hair, held in place by leather sinew encircling the stick handle, covered, in part, by two red bands. Deer horn protrudes from end of stick, thus, extending its length, and is held in place by leather sinews encircling the stick handle at the end of the stick. Skull joined with leather sinew; the wood handle with fur, horsehair and beading; the other end with deer antler - 33 in. long. Estimate $600-800
