1871 Ulysses S. Grant Indian Peace Medal. Silver. The Only Size. Julian IP-42, Prucha-53. Extremely Fine. 63.4 mm. 1502.3 grains. Pierced for suspension at 12 oclock as issued. A lovely example of this medal with pleasing deep gray surfaces and accents of steely blue iridescence through some of the peripheral recesses and outlining Grants portrait. Scattered marks and abrasions as typical for a used Peace medal, but no serious damage is noted. Some fine scratches, clearly old, follow the inner border of the obverse but wont be noticed without magnification. Quite handsome and with good detail.This is one of the rare cases when one of these historic medals can be connected to an original indigenous owner. The first public appearance the writer is aware of for this medal was Joseph Lepczyks sale of April 1978, which identified this medal as once the property of Chief Little Plume of the Blackfoot, prior to 1900. The description noted that "Documents of history, and transfer of title papers" accompanied the lot. The medal was among six original American Peace medals in silver in that sale, and plated therein. It would seem that the original documents were overlooked at some point, and apparently lost by 1991, the next time this medal was offered. In fact, the medal had become dissociated from its provenance altogether - it was not mentioned in any offering since 1978, and has only been reconstructed by the present writers research.Unfortunately, we have not been able to locate a photograph of Little Plume (a chief of the Piegan band of Blackfoot) wearing this medal, though multiple images of the chief do exist. This said, even beyond the documents referenced in 1978, there is good reason to believe that a medal belonging to this chief would have retained its provenance. Other items with direct provenance to Little Plume exist, a few of which are in the Cambridge Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology in England. This strongly suggests that his personal property was likely deliberately dispersed with provenance, and the fact that he was a well-recognized chief who lived into the 20th century is supportive of same. As an aside, he participated in President Theodore Roosevelts Inaugural parade in 1905, as one of six important chiefs, a group that also included Buckskin Charley of the Ute (who owned a Benjamin Harrison medal), Geronimo of the Apache, Quanah Parker of the Comanche, Hollow Horn Bear of the Brule Dakota and American Horse of the Oglala Dakota. A photo of them from the event exists, and a Peace medal is around the neck of Hollow Horn Bear.While we have not found an image of Little Plume wearing the medal, remarkably, there is an image of him standing alongside another Piegan Chief who wears a Lincoln medal. His name was Three Suns, and we sold his medal in our May 2019 sale after being able to tie that medal to its original owner. The fact that such an image exists of these two chiefs, both known to have owned Peace medals which still exist and are identified, is truly a remarkable instance. Little Plume is also featured in an Edward Curtis photograph from 1908, titled, "In a Piegan Lodge."The Grant in silver is the most available of all the original issued Peace medals, and it has long been an entry point into the series for new collectors. However, the indigenous provenance makes this a true standout. It is one of just three we are aware of in private hands with a known Native American owner. Ex "Chief Little Plume of the Blackfeet, prior to 1900"; Joseph Lepczyks sale of April 1978, lot 1505 (with documents); Superiors sale of February 1991, lot 1562; Larry & Ira Goldbergs sale of September 2004, lot 1396; Heritages sale of August 2013, lot 4854.
