This is a fantastic, unusual circa 1850-1880 Great Lakes Ojibwa Midewiwin beaded mink skin medicine bag. The Midewiwin or Grand Medicine Society of the Ojibwa of the Great Lakes is the society of the Mide or Shamans (medicine men). This example shows a mink skin with the skull still intact and inset into the head having the teeth showing through the mouth. There is a single semi-transparent glass trade bead at the left ear spot and tied with old trade ribbon is a drop of beadwork in black and chalk white glass trade seed beads tied with trade string. Some of the claws are present, the hide is dark from age with a few cracks and wear spots, but mainly well intact, given its early age. For reference see plate XI from “The Midewiwin or ‘Grand Medicine Society’ of the Ojibwa” by W.J. Hoffman circa 1891 for a near identical example. The book refers to the mink in plate XI as, “The Mide´ sack represented in No. 7 (Pl. XI.) is made of the skin of a mink—Putorius vison, Gapp. White, downy feathers are secured to the nose, as an additional ornament. In this sack are carried the sacred objects belonging to its owner, such as colors for facial ornamentation, and the magic red powder employed in the preparation of hunters´ songs; effigies and other contrivances to prove to the incredulous the genuineness of the Mide´ pretensions, sacred songs, amulets, and other small man´idos—abnormal productions to which they attach supernatural properties—invitation sticks, etc.” Provenance: From a private Wisconsin collection of Native American pieces. Mink measures 23-inches long by 4-inches wide. The beaded strand is an additional 7-inches. This is truly an unusual and very rare piece with significant history that rarely comes to the public market.