The Frost Trade Bead Collection Gallery
Beaded Objects
Bandoleer Bag
Circa 1920-1930
98.9cm x 37.1cm
Gift of Mrs. C.W.H. Schuck
This is a piece of men's clothing in the shape of a bandoleer bag, but without any opening. Members of the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa identified it as a bandoleer bag worn over the shoulder; in their present-day cultural context, a bandoleer bag need not have an opening.
The beading on this bag consists of multicolor seed beads woven in a "tweed" pattern. The red flannel insert is beaded with a twin floral motif in green, white, gold metallic, and light blue seed beads with a multicolor border. The body of the bag is blue cotton trade cloth with blue braid around the edges. The bottom is trimmed with wool yarn (blue faded to tan) and tasseled fringes of green, yellow, royal blue, and black faceted larger beads.Collection of the Illinois State Museum
Photograph by Jason Arnold, ISM
ISM Accession #: 1954-0045
