Strike a light bag

Strike-a-light bags, common among 19th-century Plains Indians, served both practical and decorative purposes, protecting fragile steel fire strikers while showcasing intricate beadwork, tin cone ornaments, and tribal designs. Originating likely among the Kiowa and Comanche, these trapezoidal leather pouches—often made of tough commercial cowhide—were crafted primarily by women and traded widely across the Plains, becoming both utilitarian tools and works of art.