blackened hide, probably smoked; moosehair, dyed red, white, yellow and blue of two shades, a turquoise which may be a faded green and a medium blue; animal sinew; yarn

The saddlebag is sewn, with a fringe sewn into the seams of the two pouches. The fringe has been sewn into the seam of the pouch, pointing towards the centre, with binding wrapped around. CW says this is an unusual fringe construction technique. The pouches are made of two separate pieces-- the band which connects the two pouches forms the top flap of each pouch.

RP says that in purely aesthetic terms, something quite extraordinary is happening in the centre piece. CW describes the embroidery motifs as inside out double curves in free form design. The embroidery motifs include cross-hatched diamonds and a number of paired, three lobed motifs. The design fields remind CW of Cree hoods. The motifs of the center section form a central spine motif, with large, bold zigzag lines running around the top of the pouches. Double and triple lobed motifs are organized around the zigzag lines and form a "remarkable" contour. The pockets have multi-lobed semi-floral motifs and a horseshoe shaped band of wavy lines.

No signs of wear to indicate use, but the "saddle bag" design suggests that it could have been worn in front of the saddle, over the horse's neck rather than behind the saddle. There are no clear attachment points.

The motifs appear to be drawing from Anishinaabe/Hodenosaunee/Wendat traditions. Prof. Frank Speck of the University of Pennsylvania supports the identification as Iroquois, and describes the saddlebag as unique in his experience (correspondence Sept 1942).

Stylistic. Note From 1790/1800 to 1840. Blackened tanned hide not seen much past 1840.

In 1884 this saddlebag was transferred from the South Kensington Museum to the Pitt Rivers Museum as part of Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt Rivers founding collection. It was held at the South Kensington Museum (which became the Victoria and Albert Museum) from 1880 to 1884.

It was probably displayed at the South Kensington Museum (later the Victoria and Albert Museum) from 1880 to 1884.

This record was created as part of a Great Lakes Research Alliance for the Study of Aboriginal Arts and Cultures (GRASAC) research trip to the Pitt Rivers Museum and British Museum, December 8-22 2007, funded by a grant from the International Opportunities fund of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

researchers present: Heidi Bohaker (HB), Stacey Loyer (SL), Janis Monture (JM), Laura Peers (LP), Ruth Phillips (RP), Anne De Stecher (AS), Cory Willmott (CW).