TUSCUMBIA – The Tennessee Valley Museum of Art, took receipt of a replicated 1830’s Bandolier Strap. The beautiful bandolier is a faithful copy to the original that once belonged to Chickasaw Chief George Colbert. The original strap was gifted by Chief Colbert, for whom Colbert County is named, to his neighbor and friend Isaac Lane whose son Edward took it with him when he left Alabama to study at Yale. According to Lane family history, Colbert expected Edward to be a leader in college. The great Chief wanted the young man to wear the sash as a ceremonial insignia of rank. Upon the death of Edward, the strap was left to a family member, Mrs. Goodloe. The significant work of art has passed through at least seven generations who have meticulously preserved this artifact of our County’s history.
Mr. Goodloe Rutland, former resident of Cherokee, Alabama who now lives in Birmingham, was the most recent heir to the strap. Because the artifact is historically significant to Colbert County, Mr. Rutland generously contributed it to the Tennessee Valley Art Association where it is now on exhibit. It is preserved in a special display case in the museum next to the limestone boulders with contain the famous 4-fingered Native American petroglyphs.
Colbert’s original bandolier is far too fragile to travel or even to be handled. And so, The Museum of Art commissioned this reproduction of the 1830s artifact to display with educational programs that focus on the historic period of southeastern Native Americans – in particular, the Chickasaw people.
The project was funded through a grant from the Colbert County Community Development Commission. and with State of Alabama help which was spearheaded by State Representative, Johnny Mack Morrow. Douglas Rodgers, of Birmingham hand-made the replica of the Chief Colbert strap using wool, linen fabric and cotton print with silk tabby weave binding, cotton braid, what 8/0 pony bead. This is a faithful reproduction of the bandolier with period-true materials.
The Quad-Cities Daily was on hand to cover the presentation in EVENT PHOTOS. Please note that there are 2 closeups in the gallery. They are photos of the original bandolier.
