Native American, Northwestern United States, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Plateau Tribes, Nez Perce / Yakama, ca. 1900s CE. A gorgeous purse bag that incorporates beadwork and cornhusk weaving, one face is woven or twined and embroidered with cornhusks and yarn creating colorful geometric stepped motifs. The other panel is completely covered with brilliant beadwork of a rose on a cobalt ground. Hundreds of glass seed beads were sewn to a textile, using lane stitching on the blue background and overlay stitching to create the petal / leaf curves. Beadwork and bags woven from cornhusk and native hemp were sought after trade items in the Plateau trade network, and later by collectors. Both artistic traditions on this purse are well preserved - not a single bead is missing. An older tag included with this piece is labeled "Provenance Spalding Sacajawea Museum," and a second tag says: "Beaded Bag from Laura L(oft?) collection 1935." Size of bag: 10" L x 8" W (25.4 cm x 20.3 cm); case: 16" L x 12" W (40.6 cm x 30.5 cm)

The Sacajawea Museum in Spalding Idaho was opened run by married (non-native) couple Joseph and Pauline Evans between the 1930s and 1960s, the collection consisted largely of handmade items, heirlooms, and photographs that were sold or donated by the local Nez Perce tribe. The main attractions were a dress that was allegedly worn by Sacajawea and a canoe that was supposedly used by the Lewis and Clark expedition. A flood in 1963 damaged the building past repair, and most of the pieces, such as this this purse, were bought by dealers, tribal members, or incorporated into the Nez Perce National Park Museum and other institutions such as the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian.

Please note this item falls under the Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act and is not eligible for international shipping. Native American, Alaska Native, & Native Hawaiian objects are only eligible to ship within the United States.

Provenance: private Thornton, Colorado, USA collection

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#182897

Wear and frayign to red silk hem edge. Beadwork is entirely intact and corn husk weaving is also excellent. Wear to green handle straps. Displayed in modern Riker case.