Plains Cree Hide and Beaded Bag with Fringe

ca. 1890

8.5" L x 7.5" W + 2" L Fringe

Hand Made with Black Cloth Trim at Opening and Hide Leather with an Open Floral Motif Design on One Side in Blue, White, Pink, Yellow, Silver, Red and Dark Blue Glass Seed Beads with Fringe and a Draw String for Enclosure

In Very Good Condition

Plains Cree hide and beaded bags with fringe are traditional items of material culture made by Plains Cree (Nêhiyawak) people of the Northern Plains, primarily in what is now the Canadian Prairies (Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba) and adjacent areas of the northern United States. These bags are made from soft-tanned animal hide (deer, elk, moose, or sometimes buffalo), cut and sewn into a rectangular or slightly tapered pouch form. Many feature a flap closure, drawstring, or open top, with carrying straps or loops of hide or cloth. Long soft hide fringe is commonly attached along the bottom edge and sometimes the sides, adding movement and visual emphasis.