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Sheath, knife
Sheath, knife
Sheath, knife
This relative, a knife sheath, includes netted porcupine quillwork and seed beads. Motifs include v-shape and wavy lines along the sides of the sheath. Colour of quills include red, orange, black, greenish-yellow, faded blue, and natural white. Composed of two pieces of deer hide that has been smoke-tanned, a third, smaller rectangular piece is sewn to the top of the sheath. Three thongs hang from the bottom of the sheath. Holes have been punched in the top two lobes, presumably for attachments or to hang around the neck (according to Ruth Phillips). Although the origins of the knife sheath are not certain, it has probable connections to the Anishinaabe and is believed to date to the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century.
This relative currently resides at the National Museum of Ireland.
Anishinaabe and Sioux both make netted quillwork, but alliances between the British and Anishinaabe in this period make it more likely that it would be collected from Anishinaabe.
Read More About This Relative
deer hide, smoke-tanned; porcupine quills (red, orange, black, greenish-yellow, natural, faded blue); glass beads, grey-white and bright white; vegetable fibre, sinew,
Two pieces of hide, with a third, smaller rectangular piece sewn to the top, with decorative features including netted quillwork and lines of single-quill embroidery along the sides. Three thongs are hanging from the bottom. Holes punctured in the top two lobes, for attachments, probably to hang around the neck (RP).
V-shaped motifs, wavy lines along the sides.
In 1845 Paul Kane painted leaders wearing such knife sheaths.
Provenance
GRASAC research notes.
About This GRASAC Record
Maker, Name unrecorded. Knife sheath. GRASAC ID 25164. National Museum of Ireland Collection.
This record was augmented by Dana Murray on July 23, 2024. It draws on images and information recorded during a GRASAC research trip to the National Museum of Ireland on July 20, 2010. Participants included Alan Corbiere, Bnehns Corbiere, Crystal Migwans, Nikolaus Stolle, and Ruth Phillips, who were assisted by Padraig Clancy.