Paiute Shoshone Beaded Zipper Circle Purse

Mid 20th Century

.875" H x 4.125" D

Hand Crafted from Hide Leather and Glass Seed Beads with a Light Blue Field and a Red, Orange, Yellow and Black Sun Like Motif Design in a Circle Shape and a Zipper

In Very Good Condition

Paiute Shoshone Beaded Zipper Circle Purses are beautiful examples of contemporary Native American beadwork, often created by artists from Paiute, Shoshone (or dual-enrolled Paiute-Shoshone) communities in the Great Basin region (Nevada, California, Idaho, etc.).

These small, fully or partially beaded circular (or coin-style) purses typically feature a zipper closure for practicality. They blend traditional Indigenous beadwork techniques and motifs with modern functionality. Paiute and Shoshone artists have long excelled in intricate beadwork using seed beads (often Czech glass), creating floral, geometric, star, or peyote-stitch designs on items like pouches, medallions, and bags.