mshkimot shoulder bag

mshkimot shoulder bag

mshkimot shoulder bag

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Introduction

This ancestor is a buckskin bag made from porcupine quills, wool fabric, silk ribbon, glass beads, and vegetable fibre. The body of this bag is tan in colour, and made from two pieces of leather attached by a tin cone fringe on the bottom of the bag. The front is embroidered with four "X" design quills in four quadrants and are green, black, red, lavender, blue-green, and white in colour. Bordering the bag are white sawtooth band quills. The flap of the bag is a scalloped pattern with a purple edge. Two straps are attached to the bag with deerskin ties, backed by broadcloth, and show loom-woven panels of beadwork. Bordering the straps are a green border with small white beads in an asymmetrical pattern. These geometric beadwork patterns vary on each strap, and are blue, green, yellow, red, white, and orange in colour. Six finger tabs are atop the straps, and show a beaded leaf motif, with oblong blue beads and ribbon tassels at the top. This ancestor is currently located at the Detroit Institute of Arts. 

Nation of Maker: Anishinaabe
Nation of Origin

Chippewa

Reasons for connecting this relative with particular nation(s)

Detroit Institute of Arts identifies this bag as Chippewa

Place of Origin: Michigan, USA
Date Made or Date Range: 1850
Materials

Buckskin, porcupine quills, wool fabric, silk ribbon, size 16 glass beads, vegetal fiber

Techniques or Format

Rectangular deerskin bag made from two pieces of leather, held together at the bottom by a tin cone fringe. Home-tanned smoked deerhide. Front is embroidered with quills, with four 'x' designs in four quadrants. Colours include green, black, red, lavender and blue-green, and white. Bordered by sawtooth band of quills. Edges are wrapped with quills. Strap is two loom-woven panels of beadwork. Band and tabs are backed with high quality blue broadcloth. Exceptionally small beads (size 16), asymmetrical, joined at the top with 6 finger tabs, with oblong blue beads and ribbon tassles.

Motifs and Patterns

Beaded strap panels have a complex geometric pattern, different on each side, with blue, green, orange, red.

Other Notes

The two pieces (bag and strap) were assembled by Chandler, the collector. According to Pohrt note 9/27/82: "Strap is very similar to strap on DIA "BASIN DASIN" bag (81.78) and similar bag at Detroit Historical Museum."

Dimensions: 33.5 × 6.5 × 0 in
Condition: "Phenomenal condition."
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

According to Pohrt, "Strap dates c. 1850, bag dates from earlier time."

Current Location: Detroit Institute of Arts, MI, USA
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 81.500
Link to Institution's Collections Database: https://dia.org/collection/shoulder-bag-21111
Collection at Current Location: Chandler Pohrt Collection
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1981
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Richard A. Pohrt
Collection Narratives and Histories

Milford G. Chandler [1889-1981]

purchased by Richard A. Pohrt [1911-2005] (Flint, Michigan, USA)

1981-present, purchased 1981 by the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)

Source for Provenance information

As stated by Detroit Institute of Arts Catalogue.

GKS Reference Number: 25385
Record Creation Context

This record was augmented by Natasha Fares on February 12th, 2024. The photographs were removed by Natasha Fares on February 12th, 2024 to respect an agreement between the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Michigan Anishinaabeg Communities of Practice group.

Approximate Place of Origin

43.7918, -84.2994

Source of Information about Places

According to Pohrt, bag "may be from Western Great Lakes."

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