Bag, finger woven

Bag, finger woven

Bag, finger woven

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Introduction

This relative, a finger woven bag, has eight underwater beings on one side and a whirlpool design on the other. There are no drawstrings on this bag. It is composed of nettlestalk fibre, black bison hair, as well as red, green, and yellow, wool yarn. This relative was collected by British Army officer Jasper Grant between 1800 and 1809. The origins of the bag are not certain, however it has probable connections to the Anishinaabe.

This relative currently resides at the National Museum of Ireland.

Name of Maker(s): Unrecorded
Maker role: Artist
Nation of Maker: Anishinaabe
Nation of Origin

Anishinaabe

Reasons for connecting this relative with particular nation(s)

This information was informed by the following resource: Phillips, Ruth. Patterns of Power. Kleinburg, On.: Patterns of Power, 1984.

Date Made or Date Range: 1805-1809
Materials

Nettlestalk fibre; black bison hair; wool yarn, red, green, yellow

Dimensions: 0 × 42 × 60.4 cm
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Jasper Grant served as commandant of Fort George in the Niagara Peninsula and of Fort Malden at Amherstburg opposite Detroit from 1800-1809.

Current Location: National Museum of Ireland
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 1902.327
Collection at Current Location: Jasper Grant Collection
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Jasper Grant's grandson, Robert Ussher, donated the collection to the National Museum of Ireland in 1902.
Collection Narratives and Histories

Jasper Grant (1762-1812), Anglo-Irish officer who spent 9 years in Canada between 1800-1809. Served as commandant of Fort George in the Niagara Peninsula and of Fort Malden at Amherstburg opposite Detroit. It is likely that his wife, Isabella Grant, played a significant role in the collection of items given her close relationship to Madeline Askin Richardson, the daughter of a prominent fur trader and merchant with extensive ties to the surrounding Indigenous communities.

Source for Provenance information

GRASAC researcher notes from research trip to the National Museum of Ireland on July 22, 2010.

Exhibition History

In 1984-1985 the Jasper Grant Collection was featured in a special travelling exhibition for the Ontario bicentennial, which was organized by the McMichael Canadian Collection and entitled "Patterns of Power."

Publication History

Phillips, Ruth. Patterns of Power. Kleinburg, On.: McMichael Canadian Collection, 1984.

Sources to Learn More

Philips, Ruth B. (1986-87). “Jasper Grant and Edward Walsh: the Gentleman-Soldier as Early Collector of Great Lakes Indian Art.” Journal of Canadian Studies 21(4): 56-71.

GKS Reference Number: 24434
How to Cite this Item

Maker, Name unrecorded. Bag, finger woven. GRASAC ID: 24434. National Museum of Ireland Collection 1902.327.

Record Creation Context

This record was augmented by Dana Murray on July 5, 2024. It draws on information recorded during the GRASAC Research trip to the National Museum of Ireland on July 22, 2010. Participants included Alan Corbiere, Ruth Phillips, Crystal Migwans, Nicholas Stolle, assisted by Padraig Clancy and Emma Crosby.

Approximate Place of Origin

42.107, -83.1132

Source of Information about Places

This information was informed by the following resource: Phillips, Ruth. Patterns of Power. Kleinburg, On.: Patterns of Power, 1984. Fort Walden is identified on the map as a possible origin for this relative, but this reflects only one place where the relative may have lived. It is not a known place of origin; it is only one location associated with where the collector, Jasper Grant, served in the British Army.