Bison Blanket by Annette Graener

This Auction will end on Tuesday, Dec 3rd, at 5 pm.  The winner will be directed to the National Buffalo Foundation to donate directly. (that way, it's Tax deductible) The blanket measures 45.5" wide x 55" long.

A little history of Annette's work from Cecil Miskin:

 "I remember the first time I saw Annette Graener.   She was at her great spinning wheel inside of Denver Buffalo Company in downtown Denver Colorado turning bison hair .. whole hair bison fiber … into yarn.  I can remember the last time I did see her, though.  That is for another story.  As is the history of the long closed Denver Buffalo Company.  But what great stories the are.

In between, over the course of 15 or so years, I was honored to be able to spend a fair bit of time with her.  Some in her house/studio.   Some at the National Bison Association shows in Denver.  Some at Frank Makray’s furrier shop also in Denver.

As I remember it, Annette got her bison fiber “hands on”.  She would go to the small(ish) bison kill plant in Colorado Springs (G & C packing) and using old school sheep shears – non-electric – she would clip the hides after the animals were done with them.   That is undoubtedly where the fiber for this blanket came from.   She would cut, wash, comb, card, spin, dye and weave … every step by hand.  I also sheared fiber at that plant, but not until the 1990’s (and that, too, is another story).  My shearing, however, was with electric sheep shears. 

Annette loved Colorado, as she love her bison.  Well, she never owned any that I know of, but they were all hers.   I understood her to be friends with Sam Arnold, the man who created “The Fort” restaurant – one of the early bison and game centric places in Denver.  It was a favorite of Julia Childs.  And of Annette.   She was Austrian by birth (somewhere around the late 1930’s) and very proud of it.  She passed in 2017.

She was one of the first in the last century to find a use for bison fiber.  She loved the whole hair … all of the fibers, course or fine, straight or crimpy.  She loved blending bison with Alpaca or Silk for a bit more color and texture – more eye appeal.

One time she wove a whole house of bison/alpaca carpet … over 2000 square feet as she told it. 

Before the Smithsonian opened the National Museum of the American Indian in 2004, someone there contacted Annette.  They wanted one of her woven bison fiber blanket – much like this one – for permanent display.  Would she donate one, they asked?   Her reply was something like “I’m too busy”.   “Imagine” she later related to me;  “they wanted something for nothing!”   That was Annette Graener.  That is the short form history of how this unique, beautiful, artistic tapestry came to be.

A little about the Denver Buffalo Company

• Founding and Concept: The Denver Buffalo Company was established as a unique spot where one could experience a taste of the Old West. It was not just a restaurant but also included a deli, an art gallery, and a trading post, selling Native American artifacts, buffalo-hair blankets, and sterling silver jewelry among other items.
• Culinary Focus: The restaurant was renowned for its specialties in buffalo (bison) dishes, offering buffalo tenderloin filet, rib-eye, short ribs, burgers, and stir-fry. The menu was centered around bison, reflecting the historical significance of the animal in the region.
• Cultural Impact: Beyond its role as a dining establishment, the Denver Buffalo Company played a part in cultural preservation by showcasing and selling Native American art and artifacts. This dual role as a culinary and cultural institution made it a notable place in Denver's history for those interested in the heritage of the American West.

A little about The National Buffalo Foundation: Preserving the Past, Shaping the Future