FROM CARD: "BASE OF DARK BLUE TRADE CLOTH WITH CLOTH EDGING; BACKED WITH GREEN CLOTH (GLUED ON); BACKING PROBABLY ADDED TO HOLD FRAGMENTS TOGETHER AFTER SPECIMEN OBTAINED FROM INDIANS. DECORATED IN SCROLL DESIGN WITH LARGE WHITE PONY BEADS. THESE BEADS ALSO USED IN EDGING. CLOTH TIE TASSELS EACH END (FRAGMENTARY). ATTACHED TO BELT IS A POUCH 5" DEEP X 4 1/2" WIDE; FLAT; WOVEN, WITH WHITE TREAD WARP AND DESIGN IN BLACK, MEDIUM BLUE AND REDDISH BROWN. POUCH HAS LONG TRIANGULAR FLAP OF SAME MATERIAL. BOTH FLAP AND OUTER SIDE OF POUCH PROPER DECORATED WITH GEOMETRIC DESIGNS IN LARGE PONY BEADS. UNUSUAL EXAMPLE-BEADING ON WEAVING." FROM CARD: "LEDGER SAYS "REC'D FROM WESLEYAN UNIV." NO RECORD OF WESLEYAN UNIV. ACCESSION FOUND IN 1872 ACCESSION PAPERS.(W.C. STURTEVANT, MAR. 1990)."
The Anthropology catalogue ledger book lists this object as received from Wesleyan University in 1872, though no accession number is listed. The Smithsonian had a relationship to Wesleyan University via George Brown Goode. Goode graduated from Wesleyan University in 1870. In 1871 he received an invitation from Wesleyan to undertake the arrangement and direction of the newly established Judd Museum of Natural History. He retained his official connection with Wesleyan until 1877. In 1872, Goode met Spencer F. Baird, Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and United States Fish Commissioner. Baird invited him to work as a volunteer collector for the United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries (USCFF). Goode accepted and became Baird's chief pupil and assistant. In 1873, he was appointed Assistant Curator in the United States National Museum (USNM), a position he retained until 1877 when his title was changed to Curator. In 1881, when the new USNM building was completed, Goode was promoted to Assistant Director. On January 12, 1887, Goode was appointed Assistant Secretary in charge of the USNM and he remained the chief administrative officer of the Museum until his death in 1896. See: online Finding Aid to Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7050, George Brown Goode Collection, https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_217209 , retrieved May 6, 2022.
