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moccasins
moccasins
moccasins
A pair of puckered-toe moccasins decorated with raised floral beadwork. Likely Hodenosaunee, made between 1845 to 1865. Donated to the Ashmolean museum by Cornish poet and Anglican clergyman Reverend Robert Stephen Hawker, M.A., in 1865, and transferred to the Pitt Rivers Museum in 1886.
This style of raised beadwork is a diagnostic feature of Iroquoian beadwork. The Pitt Rivers Museum catalogue lists the moccasins' cultural group of origin as "Kahnawake" but does not give source of attribution. It also describes them as "Canadian Indian," although their style indicates they could have been made on either side of the Canada/United States border (RP).
Pitt Rivers Object catalogue and observations made by the GRASAC research team.
Read More About This Relative
deer hide, commercially tanned; velveteen, black (looks dark brown under natural light); coarse woolen ribbon, navy-blue; glazed cotton; seed beads, white, natural, greasy yellow, greasy mustard, blue, greasy teal, turquoise, red, greasy lime green, and opalescent; thread, cotton; paper
T-heel seamed moccasins with puckered toes. The foot is turned up and gathered to vamp with around 23 puckers. The body is made of commercially tanned deer hide, with the shiny, leathery side facing inwards. There is a continuous ankle flap covered with velvet, down-turned and joined at upper corners over instep. The flap does not join the foot piece edge to edge. The raised beadwork is sewn over a paper pattern.
Floral motifs.
Between 1840-1865. The raised beadwork and use of black velveteen suggest a manufacture date around 1845 (RP, CW). RP adds that the beadwork style reflects Victorian tastes and colours, suggesting a mid to late 19th century date of manufacture.
Provenance
One of several items transferred from the Ashmolean Museum to the Pitt Rivers Museum in 1886. Given by the Cornish poet and Anglican clergyman Reverend Robert Stephen Hawker, M.A., to the Ashmolean Museum in 1865 (Pitt Rivers Museum Object Catalogue entry).
About This GRASAC Record
This record was created as part of a Great Lakes Research Alliance for the Study of Aboriginal Arts and Cultures (GRASAC) research trip to the Pitt Rivers Museum and British Museum, December 8-22 2007, funded by a grant from the International Opportunities fund of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
researchers present: Heidi Bohaker (HB), Al Corbiere (AC), Stacey Loyer (SL), Janis Monture (JM), Laura Peers (LP), Ruth Phillips (RP), Anne De Stecher (AS), Cory Willmott (CW).