Any info on this Native American Needle Case and Alligator tooth item?

Hi all, I’m new here and to boards in general so take it easy on me if I make a mistake. I’ve been sorting through the antiques and oddities I have inherited from my deceased grandfather and am now trying to research and discover what I can about them. Era, Authenticity and value ETC. Any and all information would be appreciated as I don’t know much about antiques or Native american items. One of the items appears to be a needle case made of leather and bone? the other is an Alligator tooth with some sort of brass hook on it. My grandfather lived in Minnesota, so these might be from a tribe around there.
“?

 

Just a guess,but perhaps the hook was to punch holes in the leather ? Im no expert , but those sure look like they have some age to them .

 

Welcome, interesting pieces - not really my area, but can tell you that's not an alligator tooth, and that piece looks to me like a fish-hook, maybe carved from antler...

~Cheryl

 

Great info, the only reason I had to believe it was a Alligator tooth is a note I found stored with it. I figured someone else in my family started researching it. Thanks for the additional info!

 

Doesn't appear to be alligator as alligator is hollow. Not many big reptiles in Minnesota.

Niki Beth?

 

Fish Hook is the first thing I thought of when I saw it.

 

Or fishing lure, like a "spoon" (fishing, not soup). Looks like possibly horn. Certainly a primitive mode of construction.
No idea about the other item.

 

Possibly the sinew wrapping conjoins the point of another tooth to give the continuous form

 

Second the fish hook. Here are a couple of Alaskan, Inuit, walrus bone, fish hooks. Note the bone in the shape of fish each have an eye. Yours also has an eye on the fish.
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/7905953_two-alaskan-walrus-ivory-fishing-lures-hooks

--- Susan

 

Thanks for all the great info everyone!

 

Thanks for the help. BTW I like your profile pic.

 

Yes fishing lure, I've had several of them, but more similar to Susan's link.

 

This one is the great great grandfather of the Johnson's Silver Minnow

 

wow you’re right it looks just like those.

 

I'd say it looks similar. A fisherman would probably consider that the first one is a "spoon," the ones in the link are "plugs;" and there are some major differences in construction; the first likely being horn, the second group likely bone or ivory; the differences are enough that I'd guess the first one is not Alaskan.
In any case, I don't trust online or auction tribal attributions, unless I already recognize the tribe. I am not myself an expert in native fishing gear, so my most comfortable guess would be that they all are types of fishing lures, possibly native-made.