Posted 10 years ago
JoyB
(33 items)
This pouch was given to me many years ago. I have kept it in a plastic baggie in my jewelry box.
I am Cherokee ( & Italian) and do beadwork, but am afraid to touch this one. I don't want to ruin the value by fixing it.
It is a very soft buckskin bag with intricate beadwork...at least what is left of the beadwork :) Mainly clear beads, maybe silver lined, with a few shiny green and a single red. The outline of the pouch is all white opaque, which are not very uniform.
Hoping to have someone date and maybe identify a tribe?
Thanks for the loves kyratango and aghcollect!
Thanks for the love racer4four
Thanks for the love Manikin!
Hello,
This is called a "Puzzle bag", and they were made by members of the Iroquois Native American tribes. They are called puzzle bags because of the way the split deerskin thongs were extended through the flap and kept the bag closed. These were usually made from early to mid-nineteenth century, and there is actually one very much like your pouch on Ebay right now. Search "Antique American Indian rare old museum early Iriquois (they spelled this wrong) beaded puzzle bag purse" to see it.
Woah! That is why I love CW! So much knowledge here to solve unusual mysteries, and always learning :-)
Thank you Tlynnie!
Oh my! That is so cool! I thought it was a woodlands pattern, but had no idea! Thank you so much Tlynnie1942! I wish the beadwork on mine was as nice as the one on ebay :)
Thanks so much for the love Tlynnie1942!
UNBELIEVABLE! I didn't realize it, but there is a trinket inside it! I added a picture of a small nut that has been carved into a basket! I am so excited!! Thank you so much Tlynnie1942, I would've never looked in it if it wasn't for your comment!
You are very welcome, I am happy to help :)
Thanks for the loves everyone!
This is sooooo!!! lovely!...:-)
Thank you inky & thank you for the love!
Thanks so much for the love mikelv85!
I have seen another article, unsure which tribes of the north east make them. However the author did say that they posted questions about the puzzle bag on pow wow.com and the reply was that they are unsure where it originated whether it was natives as a game or from the Europeans of the 18 century.