The Otter skin pouch is traditional Native American accoutrement. Franklin Chambers has created a particularly fine example for this year’s auction. James Adair made the following observation relating to Native American hunting pouches: "all the savages sit cross-legged, so my visitors did, and held their guns on their knee, or kept them very near, with their otter-skin shot pouch over one of their shoulders.”
This nicely tanned otter pouch has the open top construction popular with the Southern Nations. A woven shoulder strap in soft buckskin with a dew claw decoration compliments the pouch. The dark otter fur has a striking appearance. Franklin notes “the Otter bag is used in the Southern Nations especially the Quahla Or Eastern Tsalagi Cherokee, in which my father was an enrolled member; my mother was Mohawk Nation Akwesasne. I don't know of extensive use by Northern Woodland Nations, not to say that it wouldn't have been traded for.”
Franklin Chambers has worked on traditional Eastern Woodland style bags for approximately 15 years, His background is in Historical Education and Anthropology. Franklin has been a volunteer for the Conrad Weiser homestead and Daniel Boone homestead for 6 years as a Woodland Iroquoian interpreter and also volunteered at The Iron Hill Museum in Southern Delaware. He is a new auction donor and we hope to see more of his work in the future
This is an excellent recreation of authentic period accoutrement, a great addition to any eastern Native American collection or historic interpreter’s gear. These otter skin pouches do not come on the market often. This is your chance to own an excellent example.
Sken`°nen~ akwe:kon (peace and long life).
Franklin Chambers.
Franklin’s contact information is:
Frank Chambers fc.livinghistory@gmail.com
This pouch will be offered in the 2018 CLA Auction
The CLF live auction takes place at the annual meeting of the CLA in Lexington, Ky on August 17 this year. The Auction will take place in the Convention Center Exhibit Hall at 5:00 PM.
The CLA meeting and exhibition is for members only, however, non-members have two options. They may attend and join at the meeting for $20.00 for their first year (with certain restrictions). Non-members may also use the absentee bidding process described on the CLA web currently under the CLF 2017 Auction section. You also may call the CLA office for details 540-886-6189
Be sure to visit the CLF 2018 Auction website going up n July 15 for extended descriptions of the items and more photographs of each item.
Text by Franklin Chambers and Heinz Ahlers with photos by Heinz Ahlers
I had heard my papaw talk about otter fur pouches, I have been trying to come up with a good idea of dimensions to make my own bag. Have three river otter pelts here that I trapped this last year I have been hoping to make one for myself. Papaw had some great knowledge so many times I meant to sit and record him just talk about ways, sadly I never got around to it
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