Posted 10 years ago
Collectoma…
(68 items)
A friend showed me this carrying bag yesterday, and I just had to take a few pics of it. As she went to find it, she mentioned she found it in her grandmothers attic in a house, in Victoria B.C. not too long ago.
As I examined it, I noticed it was made on thick leather. Quite textured on the inside. The P is cast iron or steel, and has the same embellishment on both sides. It appears very well made, and used. The back copper plate is a mysterious design. The four of us all saw something different as to what it portrayed. I think it's just a freeform type of work, but by very skilled hands. At the same time, something suggests it may have had some type of utilitarian use to me. I looks like a skinning knife would fit in the little pocket? The black widow also suggests something of a dark nature to me. A medicine bag?
At any rate, it was tossed up in an attic at one point in it's life, that much I'm sure of.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
I'm not sure that that's a black widow. It reminds me of native symbols for Grandmother spider woman: mother of all...goddess in some tribes. And, my eye probably sees something different than everyone else on that back carving. I see a topographic map with water and mountains, similar in shape to Queen Charlotte Strait. I may be completely wrong, but I'd consider those as alternative perspectives to anything else you might have guessed... Regardless, the craftsmanship is stellar. Love it.
Great leads. I think you have the answer. After I did some quick research, I easily came across the "Mississippian Spider Woman" who was admired by Easter/Mid Eastern American native tribes as the one who created people from 4 colours of earthly clay. Red, yellow, black and white. I see these colours in the bag too if we include the stiching. The copper disk does look like a topographical landscape I agree. It looks strangely overly accurate in a way and appears almost functional as a map to me.
Thanks junkcollector. Now I can let the ladies know what they have.
Such an interesting piece with so much going on! Great!!