tabbed bag

tabbed bag

tabbed bag

top image
Images
Introduction

A tabbed black deerskin bag or pouch with a quilled Thunderbird on each side. Lower portion of the bag on one side depicts castellated line and paired hook or horn motifs. Lower portion on other side depicts pairs of opposed hook or horn motifs and semi-circular or arc designs with sawtooth contour. Anishinaabe c. 1800, possibly from the Detroit-Windsor area.

Nation of Maker: Anishinaabe
Nation of Origin

Compared to bags collected by Jasper Grant

Place of Origin: Detroit, MI
Date Made or Date Range: c. 1800
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

GRASAC generated

Materials

smoked deerskin; porcupine quills, natural and dyed red-orange, and deep blue; ivory silk ribbon small white glass beads; single long metal cone; red dyed animal hair

Techniques or Format

Two pieces of hide sewn together with two ply linen(?) thread, embroidered with fine porcupine quills, four thongs of deerskin attached between the two tabs. One metal cone filled with dyed animal hair attached to one tab.

Motifs and Patterns

Thunderbird with blue heart line on centre of both sides. On one side: castellated line below Thunderbird, and pair of hooked motifs on tabs. On other side: four pairs of opposed hooked motifs below Thunderbird, and semi-circular or arc motifs with sawtooth contours on tabs.

Additional Context

Thunderbirds and possible Underwater Being motifs

Other Notes

The overall shape of the pouch is thought to have likely derived from the pouches made of whole animal skins, such as otters and muskrats. The hide thongs secured between the centre of the tabs on this bag could be representative of a tail.

Dimensions: 51.5 × 14.5 × 0 cm
Condition: One side in very poor condition
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Comparison to bags collected by Jasper Grant c. 1805-9

Current Location: Denver Art Museum, CO, USA
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 1941.271
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1941
GKS Reference Number: 24785
Record Creation Context

Visit to Denver Art Museum of Alex Nahwegahbow and Ruth Phillips, assisted by Eric Berkemeyer and Kristin Strid on 21 Jan 2014

Approximate Place of Origin

42.3314, -83.0458

Source of Information about Places

Compared to bags collected by Jasper Grant

Do You Have Knowledge to Contribute? Share with Us.