moccasins, moosehair embroidered

moccasins, moosehair embroidered

moccasins, moosehair embroidered

top image
Images
Introduction

A pair of black dyed moosehair-embroidered Huron-Wendat moccasins. Information from the donor suggests they were made in the 1820s. Donated to the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in 1916 by Ivor Hugh Norman Evans. Evans was a student of the museum's founding curator Prof. Alfred Cort Haddon.

Nation of Maker: Huron-Wendat
Nation of Origin

Based on the style of moosehair embroidery.

Place of Origin: Wendake
Date Made or Date Range: 1820 to 1850
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Museum documentation and the GRASAC research team.

Materials

native tanned hide dyed black; red silk binding; moosehair in red, pink, blue, white, yellow; thread

Techniques or Format

The moccasins have inset vamps and a two piece gusset between body and the cuff. There are separate cuffs, each edged with red silk binding. Moosehair embroidery decorates the vamps and cuffs.

Motifs and Patterns

Floral motifs.

Dimensions: 24 × 8 × 8 cm
Condition: Excellent. There is some insect damage to the moosehair embroidery.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

An attribution based on the style of the floral embroidery suggests a date range of manufacture between 1830 and 1850, but the donor's information puts the date back to c. 1820.

Current Location: Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, UK
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: Z 35118
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1916
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Ivor Hugh Norman Evans
Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: probably 1820s or 30s
Collection Narratives and Histories

Donated to the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in 1916 by Ivor Hugh Norman Evans. Evans was a student of the museum's founding curator Prof. Alfred Cort Haddon. He joined the Federated Malay States Museum at Taiping in 1912 as an Ethnographer-Curator on Haddon's recommendation. Sir William Ridgeway encouraged his collecting pursuits.

GKS Reference Number: 25911
How to Cite this Item

Unknown Huron-Wendat artist, moccasins, moosehair embroidered. Currently in the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Z 35118. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip May 2009; GRASAC item id 25911.

Record Creation Context

This record was created as part of a GRASAC research trip to the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, May 4-9 2009.

Record Creation Notes/Observations

Participants: Trudy Nicks, Laura Peers, Alison Brown, Sherry Farrell-Racette, Rachel Hand, Ruth Phillips, Stacey Loyer, and Amber Berson.

Approximate Place of Origin

46.869279102, -71.347896113

Do You Have Knowledge to Contribute? Share with Us.