Bag, Shoulder

Bag, Shoulder

Bag, Shoulder

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Introduction

This relative, a shoulder bag, is composed of dark brown deer hide, quillwork, deer hair, and moose hair. The design is composed of linear motifs in moose hair and black quillwork, with a single finger-woven strap and opening at the top of the bag. The other end of the bag has a fringe composed of iron cones and red-dyed deer hair, a fringe that is replicated on one side of the bag, below the opening. The design of the strap includes three-ply yellow and faded blue wool yarn in a geometric arrow pattern. The origins and maker of this bag are not certain; however, it has probable connections to the Delaware area.

This relative currently resides at the National Museum of Ireland.

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

Unrecorded.

Reasons for connecting this relative with particular nation(s)

Note from Nikolaus Stolle: possibly Delaware, as suggested by bags collected by Return Jonathan Meigs in the Thaw collection at the Fennimore Art Museum.

Date Made or Date Range: 1805-1809
Materials

dark brown deerhide, maybe coloured with sumac, quillwork in faded red (now orange), blue, white, yellow, green and black; linear motifs in moosehair and black quillwork; rinned iron cones, red deer hair, finger woven strap in three ply yellow and faded blue wool yarn, red dyed deerhair, sinew and two ply hemp

Techniques or Format

The pouch is made of one piece of hide sewn on one side and the bottom; the opening is in the top edge.

Motifs and Patterns

Linear motifs.

Current Location: National Museum of Ireland
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 1902.322
Source for Provenance information

GRASAC researcher notes from the June 20, 2010 visit.

GKS Reference Number: 1367
How to Cite this Item

Maker, Name unrecorded. Shoulder Bag. GRASAC ID 1367. National Museum of Ireland Collection 1902.322.

Record Creation Context

This record was augmented by Dana Murray on June 20, 2024. It was informed by notes from the GRASAC trip to the National Museum of Ireland on July 20, 2010. Participants included Alan Corbiere, Bnehns Corbiere, Crystal Migwans, Nikolaus Stolle, Ruth Phillips, with funding provided by a SSHRC Aboriginal Research Grant.

Approximate Place of Origin

43.6, -71.9

Source of Information about Places

"Delaware" is identified on the map as a possible origin for the shoulder bag, 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 where similar shoulder bags have been identified.