A scabbard constructed from native tanned caribou(?) hide, accented along its seams with fringe, horsehair drops, and additional hide bifurcated flaps. The flaps are ornamented with lanes of porcupine quillwork, colored in blocks of red, white and blue. The tabs are also colored with dots of red pigment. The fringe is wrapped with quillwork. Accompanying the scabbard is an old collection tag which reads, “Affixed with a paper tag inscribed: Rec. 12/10/27 Quilled Cree(?) guncase. (Said to be 75 to 100 years old. From Stephen / Frances Gale, grandfather of Mayor Wm Hale Thompson, born Exeter, VT. 1810- came to Chicago 1830.)”

54” long and 8.25” wide

Collected by Stephen Francis Gale of Exeter, NH (1812-1905); handed down by descent; to Gale’s grandson, Mayor William Hale Thompson, IL (1869-1944); to Roy H. Robinson, Chicago, IL (1882-1970), collected in Chicago, IL, on Dec. 10, 1927; handed down by descent, Chicago, IL

#50788