Browse Items (51 total)

Toward the end of the 19th century, cotton replaced Indian hemp as the primary foundation material in most Columbia River twined bags. This handbag has a cotton twine foundation, a false embroidery surface of natural cornhusk and synthetically dyed…

More commonly seen in beaded bags than in twined ones, this patriotic eagle and shield motif may have been designed for a Native American veteran of the United States armed forces.

Schlick Collection

Corn husk, wool, leather, cotton twine

This bag is attributed to a weaver named Susie Walsey Billy who was a member of the Rock Creek Band, one of the 14 tribes comprising the Yakama Nation. The attribution is based on the testimony of Susie’s daughter, Agnes, who was able to identify…

Recovered after the Battle of Clearwater in 1877, this bag has been attributed and dated on the basis of where and when it was found as well as its construction materials and design.

University of Colorado Museum

Indian hemp, cornhusk, cordage

This bag features a dramatic banded design that is embroidered in a zig-zag motif with brightly colored yarns in purple, red, green, turquoise and black.

Schlick Collection

Hemp, cornhusk, colored yarns, leather

"Flat bags were used for harvesting, gathering, and storing processed roots, berries and other plant materials. Plain twining of Indian hemp, warp and cotton weft with false embroidery of dyed and undyed cornhusk were used as the external weft. The…

This bag from the Spalding-Allen collection is the earliest known and most securely dated example of the type of flat twined storage bag that the Nez Perce call “qaqape” (pronounced kaKA’peh). Consistent with other early twined bags, this bag has a…

Its idiosyncratic design, vivid colors, and fancy leather trim suggest that this bag was created to be a highly cherished personal accessory.

Southwest Museum, Los Angeles

Twined corn husk, wool, leather

Cornhusk embroidery on this bag forms an X-shaped design that is complemented by outlining and the use of variable color hues that add dimension to the centralized design.

Southwest Museum, Los Angeles

Hemp, cornhusk, leather