Delaware Child's Mocassins

Delaware Child's Mocassins

Delaware Child's Mocassins

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Nation of Maker: Unknown
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular nation(s)

Pomona College records, stylistic similarities to other examples of Delaware children's moccasins.

Date Made or Date Range: ca. 1880s to ca. 1920s
Materials

buckskin, ribbon, velvet applique, beads in nine bright colors, multicolored thread.

Techniques or Format

Single pieces of buckskin, flaps hang over sides almost touching ground. Unclear if sowing on heels is by hand or mechanical. Bead borders (pink and blue; green and white) on inside and outside (respectively) flaps.

Motifs and Patterns

Beads over toes form geometric, tightly woven "arrow" shapes in alternating colors (in order from bottom to top: dark blue, yellow, green, pink, red, white, red, light blue, pink). Flaps feature uneven stripes with repeating triangles in darker colors (black, gold, red, purple). Three triangle motifs on each inside-flap, the central pattern in green and the other two cast in white. Six triangles to each motif, piled into two greater equilateral triangles, one above the other. Velvet applique tops flaps in green and brown.

Original and Subsequent Uses

Souvenir art

Condition: Quite good, although parts of ribbon on flaps are frayed.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Institutional records and consensus for Delaware crafts incorporation into souvenir markets

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: P5267
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: April, 1931
Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: ca. 1880s to ca. 1920s
GKS Reference Number: 24742