bag

bag

bag

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Introduction

Mid to late 18th or early 19th century Algonquin deer hide bag decorated with porcupine quills in a combination of hourglass and diamond, or lozenge, motifs that could be possible representations of thunderbirds and underwater panthers. Dyed deer hair(?) and metal tin cones attached with hide thongs form the bottom fringe. Purchased by the museum from Professor H.N. Moseley in 1882.

Nation of Maker: Algonquin
Nation of Origin

Museum documentation

Date Made or Date Range: 1750s to 1810
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Museum documentation, GRASAC generated.

Materials

smoked deer hide, natural and black dyed; porcupine quills, natural and dyed orange, blue, and dark brown; possibly deer hair(?) dyed red; tin metal cones; hide thongs

Techniques or Format

The porcupine quillwork that decorates this hide bag is done in three techniques: one-quill edging, simple line technique and zig-zag band. The bottom of the bag is ornamented with deer hair in tin metal cones that are attached with hide thongs. One metal cone with deer hair is attached to the left side of the bag along the opening with a hide thong. The back of the bag is comprised of four, possibly five(?) pieces of natural and dyed hide stitched together. Sewing and quillwork are with sinew.

Motifs and Patterns

Geometric motifs on the bag front: Quilled panel of bag above the opening has a scalloped top and is ornamented with three hourglass shapes connected by parallel lines. Front pocket panel is ornamented with two diamond shapes, or lozenges, bordered by emanating zig-zag lines.

Additional Context

The combination of diamonds and hourglass motifs can be seen as an abstracted representation of the cosmos, with the hourglasses being the thunderbirds above, and the diamonds, or lozenges being the underwater panthers in the zone below.

Other Notes

Use of a coarse black thread or fibre (?) on the back of the bag suggests some evidence of repair.

Dimensions: 31.5 × 22 × 0 cm
Condition: Fair; fading to dyes, tin cone missing from bottom fringe, likely tin cone missing on right side of the top of the bag to compliment the cone on the left, some deer hair missing.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Museum documentation

Current Location: Museum Volkenkunde, Leiden, Netherlands
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 330-8
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1882
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Professor Moseley
Collection Narratives and Histories

Purchased by the museum from Professor Moseley in 1882.

GKS Reference Number: 25692
Approximate Place of Origin

43.0703, -80.1184

Source of Information about Places

Museum documentation

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