bag, beaded bandolier

bag, beaded bandolier

bag, beaded bandolier

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Introduction

A beaded bandolier bag with a loom woven front pocket ornamented with floral designs and a strap divided between floral and zig-zag designs. Anishinaabe, probably made in the late nineteenth century. Donated to the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology by Miss S.A. Griffith in 1959.

Nation of Maker: Anishinaabe
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular nation(s)

Based on style.

Date Made or Date Range: 1850 to 1900
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Museum documentation and the GRASAC research team.

Materials

black velveteen; dark blue printed cloth with gold paisley motifs; striped cotton liner; beige cotton backing (bag); maroon printed cloth with stylized geometric floral motifs in cream; blue silk ribbon; red wool tape; size 8 or 10 glass seed beads opaque in various colours; greasy white glass beads; cotton thread; medium blue woolen yarn

Techniques or Format

The bag has a large front pocket of loomed beadwork lined with blue printed cotton. The back is made of the same blue printed cloth sewn to a panel of black velvet that extends above and is embroidered with beadwork. A floral design is appliqued to the centre and bordered with two rows of the otter tail motif. The pocket is held closed by a single glass button in centre back and a thread loop. The loom woven front has eleven tabs. The strap is a continuous piece of loom-woven beadwork divided in the top centre into floral beadwork on one side and large parallel zig-zag lines formed of small diamonds on the other.

Motifs and Patterns

Floral, geometric, and otter-tail motifs.

Other Notes

This bag has been looked at by Laura Peers, Amy Lonetree, and Marcia Anderson in 1999. They put the date to 1890 to 1920s.

Condition: Very good. There is some breakage in the loom woven beadwork on the bag.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Based on style, in particular, the loom woven front. The printed textile lining the strap and bag should be dated to check this attribution.

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 1957.17
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1957
Collection Narratives and Histories

Donated to the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology by Miss S.A. Griffith in 1959.

GKS Reference Number: 25974
How to Cite this Item

Unknown Anishinaabe artist, bag, beaded bandolier. Currently in the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, 1957.17. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip May 2009; GRASAC item id 25974.

Record Creation Context

This record was created as part of a GRASAC research trip to Cambridge University's Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, May 4-9 2009.

Record Creation Notes/Observations

Researchers present: Trudy Nicks, Stacey Loyer, Ruth Phillips, and Rachel Hand.

Approximate Place of Origin

43.0703, -80.1184