European Style Hunting Bag by Shelly Gier

CLA artist Shelly Gier has once again donated an outstanding piece to the CLF Fundraising Auction. This year Gier contributed a one-of-a-kind European hunting bag, which is a truly unique offering for the auction. 

This bag is inspired by several original examples, but carries Gier’s individual design sensibilities. This well-proportioned bag will easily accommodate your hunting gear, as well as any game you’re fortunate enough to take. 

The main body of the bag is constructed from 3oz overdyed bridle leather, and is lined with 1-2oz calf leather. The front flap is lined with goat leather. This heavy-duty bag nonetheless sports a pleasant decorative motif. “I wanted to give it a ‘fraktur’ feel,” explains Gier, “so I used some common colors and basic shapes of the folk art form. I incorporated scalloped edges and insets in many places on the pouch as accents to that theme.”

The inlaid accent design on the front flap was cut by hand and then backed with red leather, and the cutouts were then top stitched with a contrasting green thread. The bag has a welted, turned front seam and a bound exterior seam on the back to give it the correct shape. There is a flapped inset pocket on the back of the bag that is encased between the outer leather and the lining. The front of the bag has a similar flapped pocket with a gusset, and features a teardrop buttonhole with contrasting stitches to mirror the fraktur motif on the flap. 

Gier’s bag is fully prepared for the field. The interior of the bag features a leather strap with brass buckle designed to keep the interior portions of the bag from inadvertently opening and spilling its contents. The exterior of the bag carries hand forged iron buckles and leather straps, perfect for carrying small game. The entire bag is treated with period appropriate bear oil.

For more information on the work of Shelly Gier, contact the artist directly at: shellycamps1790@gmail.com

Photography by David Wright

Text by Joshua Shepherd