bag, shoulder

bag, shoulder

bag, shoulder

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Introduction

A fringed pouch made of possibly beaver hide with a shoulder strap, decorated with glass beads, painted animal hair, and porcupine quillwork.

Nation of Origin

The style of this piece is characteristic of Cree items.

Date Made or Date Range: Mid 18 C to Early 19 C
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Created with information from the British Museum accession record.

Materials

Hide, possibly beaver; porcupine quills; glass beads, blue; animal hair; paint, red; striped commercial tape or gartering.

Techniques or Format

The front is one piece of hide with two horizontal panels of loom-woven quill work, from each of which hangs braided quill fringe ending in animal hair tassles. There is a quill wrapped fringe around the entire pouch. The back is composed of three pieces of hide pieced together: one large piece and two small strips on top. A single row of blue beads edges both sides.

Dimensions: 27 × 0 × 0 cm
Condition: Fair; missing fur.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

This bag was acquired by the British Museum in 1921.

Based on style and materials, Autumn Epple theorizes this object dates between 1760 and 1840.

Current Location: British Museum, London, UK
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: Am1921,1014.97
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1921
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Yorkshire Philosphical Society Museum
Collection Narratives and Histories

Purchased by British Museum from the Yorkshire Philosophical Society Museum 1921.

Exhibition History

"Living Arctic" exhibition, 1987.

GKS Reference Number: 25040
How to Cite this Item

Unknown Cree artist, bag, shoulder. Currently in the British Museum, Am1921,1014.97. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip December 2007; GRASAC item id 25040.

Record Creation Context

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).

Record Creation Notes/Observations

Researchers present: Heidi Bohaker (HB), John Borrows (JB), Lindsay Borrows (LB), Alan Corbiere (AC), Jonathan King (JK), Henrietta Lidchi (HL), Stacey Loyer (SL), Janis Monture (JM), Bruce Morito (BM), Ruth Phillips (RP), Anne De Stecher (AS), Cory Willmott (CW).

Approximate Place of Origin

43.6, -71.9