The Collection

Collection Items

Catalog Number : 43614
Accession Number : 12396
Tribe : Ojibwe
Region : Great Lakes region (no area specified)
Material : Glass beads, wool textile, wool yarn, cotton
This bag is small, rectangular, and strapless. The square pocket is fully loom-beaded on a solid white background with a stylized flower and leaves. The horizontal band is spot-stitched onto a black backing in a floral design. There are eight wide, beaded tabs along the lower edge of the pocket ending in red wool tassels. It features red elasticized cotton tape piping and white beaded edging.
Source : Donated by Mrs. William Mitchell of Grosse Point, MI. Collected by Brigadier General William Mitchell.
Catalog Number : 39121
Accession Number : 10500
Tribe : Ojibwe
Region : Great Lakes region (Northern Minnesota).
Material : Glass beads, cotton textile, velvet, wool yarn, cotton thread

This bag is rectangular with a wide black velvet band above the pocket. It has a fully beaded strap and pocket with a floral design on a crystal beaded background, plus elasticized twill tape piping (black on strap, burgundy on bag). There are bugle bead dangles with wool yarn fringes.

Source : Purchased and collected from Barton D. Smith of Milwaukee, WI.
Catalog Number : N1297
Tribe : Ojibwe
Region : Great Lakes Region (Wisconsin)
Material : Glass beads, cotton, velvet, and wool

This bag has a fully beaded shoulder strap and pocket. It exhibits a floral pattern, with a red elasticized twill tape as trim. The material at the sides and above the pocket is black velvet, edged with white beaded geometric lines that may be an otter motif. The nine loom-beaded fringes have red and black yarn tassels. The bag is lined with polyester; the strap is lined with flour sack.

Source : Purchased with the Nunnemacher Fund.
Catalog Number : 56287
Accession Number : 17711
Tribe : Ojibwe
Region : Great Lakes, no area specified
Material : Glass beads, cotton cloth, cotton thread
This beadwork panel has not been attached to a, but would be the main pouch design. It exhibits a large floral design with blue, green, yellow, orange, black, pink, and white beads.
Source : Found in the Milwaukee Public Museum without an original number.
Catalog Number : 55255
Accession Number : 16837
Tribe : Ojibwe
Region : Great Lakes; no area specified
Material : Glass beads, velvet, cloth, yarn

This bag's pouch and shoulder straps are completely covered in an array of colored glass beads. The horizontal strap above the pouch is beaded in a simple floral design, as are edges of the pouch. The bag ends in beaded tassels.

Source : Purchased with funds donated by A.D. Braun of Milwaukee, WI.
Catalog Number : 50469
Accession Number : 14925
Tribe : Ojibwe
Region : Lac Court Oreilles Reservation, WI
Material : Glass beads, cotton textile, velvet, cotton textile, velvet, cotton thread, wool yarn

This bag has a fully beaded pouch and shoulder strap. The black velvet along the sides and pocket is beaded with a zigzag design. The large floral designs are similar on both the pocket and straps. The lower edge of the bag ends in red yarn tassels with beaded bugle beads.

Source : Collected by Robert Ritzenthaler, MPM Scientific Aid in Anthropology, 1938-1943 (later MPM Curator of Anthropology 1943-1972) on a joint expedition with Columbia University.
Catalog Number : 51384
Accession Number : 15261
Tribe : Ojibwe
Region : Lac Court Oreilles Reservation, WI
Material : Glass beads, cotton textile, velvet, cotton thread, wool yarn

This bag has a fully beaded strap and pocket in a floral design, the latter with muted colors. The pocket is lined with cotton and edged on three sides with green velvet as is the strap. Beaded and braided strings serve as tassels.

Source : Donated by Mrs. L. M. Scott of Milwaukee, WI. Unknown collector.
Catalog Number : 58149
Accession Number : 18961
Tribe : Ojibwe
Region : Leech Lake Reservation, Minnesota
Material : Glass beads, cotton textile, wool textile, velvet, wool yarn, cotton thread.
This bag has fully beaded straps and pouch with a leaf and flower design. The horizontal panel is beaded directly onto the black velvet backing. A white otter-tail motif borders the main pouch and horizontal panel.
Source : Donated by Mrs. K. Bruckhaus of Tyler, TX.
Catalog Number : 63158
Accession Number : 25390
Tribe : Ojibwe
Region : McCord, near Tripoli, WI
Material : Glass and plastic beads, cotton, velvet, wool yarn.

This bag of dark blue velvet cloth contains a red and white floral pattern cotton cloth lining/front. Beaded entirely in floral and bird designs, the bottom fringe has blue and clear plastic beaded tassels with purple wool yarn pom-poms.

Source : Collected and donated by Dr. George MacKinnon of Marshfield, WI.
Catalog Number : 64319
Accession Number : 27301
Tribe : Ojibwe
Region : Minnesota/North Dakota area
Material : Glass beads, cotton textile, velvet textile, wool yarn.
Square beaded panel on black velvet. The bag, lined with cotton calico, has a white beaded background and floral motif. Above is another floral segment beaded directly onto the velvet. A white beaded otter-tail motif outlines the pouch. The strap is fully beaded with a floral design. Tube bead dangles line the bottom with navy blue wool tassels.
Source : Donated by Mrs. Richard Herzfeld and Friends of the Museum. Collected by James Howard, anthropologist and collector, in 1965.