In their earliest forms, plateau bags were primitive and primarily utilitarian; woven from natural fibers like hemp and then cornhusks, used to store and transport food and supplies. They evolved into intricate, elaborate beaded works of art, like this one.

This beautiful beaded plateau bag is a vintage find, dating back to the 1940s. The bag itself was crafted from muslin, and then intricately hand-beaded with differing images on either side, essentially creating a “reversible” plateau bag. On one side, the baby blue beaded background is centered by a large navy, red, and yellow-orange geometric pattern, bordered by tiny triangles and white beaded trim. On the flip side, you will find an incredibly ornate trio of florals (two blossoms, one bud) crafted with seed beads of deep scarlets and vibrant greens. The handles are traditional leather straps. The coloring is simply gorgeous, the beadwork is awe-inspiring -- simply stunning, a beautiful one-of-a-kind collector’s piece.