Blackfoot / Cree Beaded Mirror Bag, Northern Plains, Circa 1860

Blackfoot or Cree

Circa 1860 | Hide, Glass Beads, Otter fur, Wood | Item 1912

This simply stated mirror bag has a beaded panel in the front and a plain panel on the back. It is lined on each side with otter fur. The fringe has glass tubular beads at the top. Inside the bag is a wood board with a leaf cutout that was likely meant for the mirror. The board on the opposite side has 3 remaining brass tacts, for which there is imprint evidence that there were more at an earlier time. The small, glass beads are blue and white and are sinew sewn, with white as the background and blue as the design. On the back of the bag is an old label stating No. 11 Col. Farly Quebec.

The otter trim is a replacement from the original material. This was done sometime after 2000.