Historic Reproduction Bandolier Bags by Wallace McElheney

My reproduction of a glass wampum beaded panel and bias weave edging.  Original collected by a British Officer during the Revolutionary war.  Original now in the British Museum. Glass 10mm x 4mm wampum beads, german tanned deer hide pouch body, stamped cotton cloth interfacing, tea dyed cotton webbing pouch edging, linen canvas backing on the strap, and brass deer hair cones.

Stamped cotton inner facing which I use on most of my reproductions of originals.

My reproduction of a glass wampum beaded pouch which now resided in the Braunschweisches Landesmuseum in Germany.  I have simplified the panel, as the original has quill work between separated panels, bias weave edging, and decorative beaded edging. Glass 10mm x 4mm wampum beads, german tanned deer hide pouch body, stamped cotton cloth interfacing, tea dyed cotton webbing pouch edging, brass deer hair cones.

This pouch is a joining of two distinct pouches.  The strap and floral cotton lining is from "Memories Amerique Francais, and the leather pouch and glass panel are taken from an original  Sac/Fox tribe pony beaded pouch representing the "Mesquakie" or the "Under Water Panther" deity. Glass 6mm x 3mm wampum beads, german tanned deer hide pouch body, stamped cotton cloth interfacing, tea dyed cotton webbing pouch edging, linen canvas backing on the strap, and brass deer hair cones.

This pouch is a copy of an original pouch purported to be Shawnee. Two thunderbirds, with the zig zag design on the bottom of the panel possibly representing all of the Shawnee's travels. Glass 10mm x 4mm wampum beads, german tanned deer hide pouch body, stamped cotton cloth interfacing, tea dyed cotton webbing pouch edging, brass deer hair cones.

"I have been doing powder horns for about twenty years or so now, and started doing leather work about fifteen years ago.  I saw the image of the lowest beaded pouch on line and decided to give glass panel beaded leather pouches a try.  Well, I sort of got hooked on them as they are a real challenge.  All the pouches are copies of original Native American pouches which are in museums in the USA or Europe. 

I have been a member of The Horn Guild for a number of years now, and work and volunteer at Old Fort Niagara.  I have done a great deal of the leather accoutrements for the soldiers over the years, as well as being their blacksmith for 10 years.  I now interpret the "Trade Room" at Fort Niagara, discussing all aspects of the French and British fur trade that went on at Fort Niagara and the Great Lakes area in general."

Copy and photography supplied by Wallace McElheney.