Patroontas aan draagriem toebehoord hebbende aan J.A. Maks, in 1830-32 korporaal bij het 1e Bat. Afd. Noord-Hollandse Schutterij c. 1830

This pouch belonged to J.A. Maks, a corporal in the North Holland militia in the 1830s. It's made from thick, sturdy leather, carefully cut, stitched, and riveted together. Leatherworking is one of the oldest technologies we have; humans have tanned animal hides for millennia, making clothing, shelter, and of course, bags like this one. The labor involved in creating this kind of object would have been quite intensive: from sourcing and preparing the leather, to cutting, shaping, and assembling the final form. You can see the marks of the maker's hand in the careful stitching and the precise placement of the metal fittings. The very touch and smell of leather evokes a sense of utility. Leather objects like this speak volumes about the relationship between people, materials, and the everyday world, and invite us to think more deeply about the skilled work that surrounds us.