Mid/Late 19th Century 8.75" L + 5" Fringe x 6.25" W + 3" H Handle Beaded on Both Sides of the Bag with Multi Colored Seed Beads and Beaded Fringe with Hide Handles Comes with an original Tag with a signature of Rachel Excellent Condition with Typical Aged Wear Apache beaded hide bags are traditional Native American artifacts created by various Apache tribes, including the Mescalero, Chiricahua, and Western Apache. These bags, often made from brain-tanned buckskin or elk hide, served practical purposes such as carrying tobacco, fire-starting tools (as "strike-a-light" bags), ammunition, or medicines. They are renowned for their intricate beadwork, which features vibrant glass seed beads in colors like red, white, blue, yellow, green, and black, sewn with sinew or thread. Designs typically include geometric patterns—such as stripes, triangles, stars, crosses, or sun motifs—along with fringe, tin cones, and sometimes brass buttons for added decoration and sound. These items date primarily from the mid- to late 19th century, reflecting a blend of pre-contact techniques and European trade goods like glass beads.
