hunting pouch

hunting pouch

hunting pouch

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Introduction

This hunting pouch, or shot pouch, is crafted from black-dyed hide and decorated with moosehair embroidery, porcupine quill embroidery, tinkle cones with red-dyed hair. The strap is decorated with floral motifs. Originally attributed to the "Great Lakes," it is very likely this was created by a Wendat woman. It also appears the maker of this bag skillfully modified designs for a shot pouch to create a bag that could also capture the attention of, and be worn by, European women.

This relative currently resides at the Ethnologisches Museum Berlin, Germany.

Nation of Maker: Huron-Wendat
Nation of Origin

Wendat

Reasons for connecting this relative with particular nation(s)

Annette de Stecher identified this pouch as Wendat based on stylistic attributes.

Date Made or Date Range: Around 1840
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Museum documentation, GRASAC researcher notes and Annette de Stecher's 2023 book "Wendat Women's Arts."

Materials

black-dyed hide; moosehair; porcupine quills; metal cones; red-dyed hair (deer or moose?); silk ribbon

Motifs and Patterns

naturalistic floral motifs

Additional Context

Annette de Stecher describes this pouch in "Wendat Women's Arts" as "stunning" and as a "modified shot pouch." She notes, "The maker retained elements of the men's hunting pouch, both in the border made of metal cones and animal hair and in the pouch's construction, which is done in a more rectangular form but with motifs worked in the naturalistic floral style that was so appealing to the European market. In its interpretation of naturalism according to a Wendat aesthetic, the pouch illustrates the appeal of moosehair embroidery - considered exotic yet familiar - to an elegant European woman." (pg 100)

Original and Subsequent Uses

Styled after a hunting or shot pouch, but made for a female buyer, according to Annette de Stecher.

Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Annette de Stecher dates this relative to circa 1840 based on dates the collector travelled in North America.

Current Location: Ethnologisches Museum Berlin, Germany
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: IX-D-469
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Adalbert von Barnim
Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: Possibly 1840-1842
Collection Narratives and Histories

Research into the pouch's history by Annette de Stecher indicates this pouch is from the Adalbert von Barnim Collection. It was possible acquired by Baron von Barnim's mother (Theresa Essler) or aunt (Fanny Essler) who were both acclaimed ballerinas who toured the United States between 1840-1842. Fanny Essler was known to be in Niagara Falls in 1840. (Discussed on page 100 of "Wendat Women's Arts".)

Source for Provenance information

Museum documentation and "Wendat Women's Arts"

Publication History

Annette de Stecher. 2023. "Wendat Women's Arts." Montreal, Kingston: McGill-Queen's Unviersity Press. Photographs on page 78-79, and pg 101. Discussed in the text on page 100.

Sources to Learn More

Annette de Stecher. 2023. "Wendat Women's Arts." Montreal, Kingston: McGill-Queen's Unviersity Press.

GKS Reference Number: 841
How to Cite this Item

Wendat Maker, Name Unknown. Pouch. GRASAC ID 841. Ethnologisches Museum Berlin, Catalogue Number IX-D-469.

Record Creation Context

Created by Nikolaus Stolle during a research visit to the museum commissioned by Ruth Phillips and supported by her research funds. This record was augmented by Cara Krmpotich on March 15, 2024 with the information from the book "Wendat Women's Arts."

Record Creation Notes/Observations

Edited by CJ Pentland on June 26, 2020

Source of Information about Places

attributed

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