This is a fantastic and rare beaded puzzle pouch from the Sioux of the 19th-century near Cannonball River North Dakota with old collection / museum tag. The bag is comprised of Indian tanned hide with a split thong top, an attribute that ingeniously extended from the top to form a puzzle-lock that kept the bag closed. The bags were thought to have been influenced by the French as many bags were documented near missions where the French first established. Sometimes these pouches are referred to as puzzle tobacco bags or puzzle bags. This example shows sinew sewing with Indian tanned hide and Indian tanned hide fringes showing a Maltese cross symbol on both sides and fancy beaded edge done in 1800’s period glass trade seed beads that were also sinew sewn. The beads show colors of greasy Cheyenne pink, greasy yellow, semi-transparent rose, semi-transparent teal, greasy butterscotch yellow, cobalt, greasy blue, and semi-transparent light purple / blue. The piece is accompanied by an early fountain pen written collection museum tag which is marked, “Sioux, near Cannon Ball River. N. Dak / Puzzle Pouche”. Measures overall 8.5-inches long by 5.5-inches wide when laid out with fringes.