Henry L. Batterman Fund and the Frank Sherman Benson Fund

This bag has some cotton fiber in it. Reviewed by Winnebago weaver Martha Gradolf, 5/3/05,

This work bag has different geometric designs on each side-the bag is the smaller one in front. in the photo.

This is a small flower printed sack tied with the same fabric. Contents unverified as not opened. This was purchased at the same time as the visiting sticks (see 11.694.8994). According to information received at the time such sticks and tobacco were sometimes sent along by messenger when a traveler was within a day's journey of his destination. Although gifts acknowledged the tobacco was rarely smoked. This bag was given to Culin by Charlie Michel when Culin visited him at his home.

A wooden whistle or flute

Charles Stewart Smith Memorial Fund

Brooklyn Museum Collection

The Pomo bear-doctor and the dagger he carried have left a trail of confusion in scholarly literature. Dr. Hudson, informant to Stewart Culin, Museum’s curator, summarized as follows. Bear men belong to a secret organization with a representative from each tribe. He preyed on the community and if killed another would be elected in his place. The object of the society was to eliminate undesirable people in the tribe. Bear-doctors were said to have carried one or two daggers of this type with the tips sharpened and rubbed on grinding stones.The realistic style of incising, impeccably rendered does indicate artist provenance to William Benson and has been found on other items know to have been made by Benson. Since several of these have been found in Museum collections, all made by Benson, these are clearly "models" made for the non-Native market.

This headdress was worn perpendicularly at the back of the head, not vertically on the crown, as is common with Native American headdresses of very similar style worn by the Yokuts of Central California. In general structure it resembles Pomo headdresses. Supplementary files: "Dance headress for a man; brown straight feathers rise out of a ruff of soft feathers. A quill pendant hangs from the front of the ruff. Condition: good."

This is a kachina dressed with a painted lilt, tall hide boots, yarn armbands and a ruff around his neck of plant material.