possible bag textures?

[bowjock]

Trying to do some research on the textures of possible bags between the times of 1780's to 1840's. I know this is a wide range, but any imput as to whether they were mostly, buckskin, leather, or suede?

 

[rice1817]

I believe we can rule out true suede, as that is made from splitting a hide to give a rough texture on both sides. This is a process that was developed in a later time period. Brain tanning will give much the same look though. A homespun bag would have been made from whatever was available, and the leather may be groundhog, pigskin, steer, deer, skunk, whatever. Buckskin is a little light for a bag, but when bark tanned or brain tanned (as opposed to chrome tanned) and lined with fabric to take out the tendancy to stretch, looks and works great. Commercially made bags, or bags made by the local cordwainer, would have been made out of vegetable tanned leather, but as this leather ages, the smooth side tends to slough off leaving a rough surface. Lots of bags were also made from fabric, old quilts, etc. Nothing went to waste.

 

[dlpowell]

I believe that if you want to be pc you need to look at the personna you want to be. What would they have? What time period am I going to be? Bags were fairly different between the 18th and 19th century. Also eastern bags are different from the bags worn by mountain men.