Prior to the arrival of repeating rifles and cartridges in the late 1860s, the muzzle-loader rifle was one of the principle fire arms used on the frontier. “Shot Pouches”, as they are popularly called today, became commonplace in order to safely house the accoutrement that came with such a weapon.

Indians throughout North America quickly engineered their own shot pouches, which typically included a shoulder strap, a carrying case for balls and a powder horn for gun powder. These carriers became central to the indigenous warrior complex, even well after the repeating rifle rendered them functionally obsolete.

The bag here speaks to the cultural melting pot of Southwest region. The strap is made from buffalo, which would have been procured on the Plains, while the bag is constructed from traded commercial leather and metal, manufactured to a style consistent with examples collected from the Navajo, Ute and Pueblo groups. While the marriage of these historic parts was recent, the parts are undoubtedly contemporaneous with one another. Early photos of the Ute and Apache suggest that such shot pouches were popularly worn between the 1860s and 1880s.

27” long and 16” wide; accompanied by a custom stand.

Ex Jay Evetts, NM (pouch); ex Robert Vandenberg, NM

#50972