Southern Plains Beaded Hide Strike-a-Light Bag
fourth quarter 19th century

possibly Comanche, sinew-sewn thick hide and beaded using colors white, red white-heart, dark blue, black, greasy yellow, pink, and pea green; further embellished with tin cone fringe and an 1838 Liberty Head Large Cent coin

overall length 7 inches

An argument rages among the experts about how to differentiate between the work of these two [Kiowa and Comanche] tribes.   The Comanche seem to have preferred white or green backgrounds and simpler designs.   With strike-a-light bags, they may have continued to use the older, rectangular shape into the twentieth century.   However, intermarriage and constant interchange of designs and artifacts have rendered differentiation nearly impossible, unless tribal origin was carefully documented at the time the object was acquired (Hanson 1994: 89).

Published:
Spirits in the Art (Hanson 1994: 89, plate 95)