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Introduction

Birch bark box decorated with porcupine quillwork. Anishinaabeg from Wikwemikong, Manitoulin Island. Collected around 1856 by Henry Christy and donated to the British Museum between 1860 and 1869.

Nation of Maker: Anishinaabe
Nation of Origin

The British Museum object catalogue says that Henry Christy acquired this box from Manitoulin Island. It could be Quemakong or Odawa. Accession record says "Quemakong, Odawa".

Place of Origin: Manitoulin Island, ON
Date Made or Date Range: Mid 19 C
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Created from information in the British Museum's online catalogue.

Materials

Made of birch bark and decorated with white, red, blue and yellow porcupine quills.

The box is decorated with porcupine quillwork and lined with bark. A wooden splint is attached around the box's rim and lid. On the edge of the lid and sides of the base, quills are sewn on with an overcast stitch in an X pattern.

Techniques or Format

There is splint wood around the rim and lid. The edge of the lid and base are finished with overcast stitching in x's done in porcupine quills.

Motifs and Patterns

The lid is decorated with a design of diamonds and triangles emanating from a central point.

Dimensions: 0 × 0 × 0 cm
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Henry Christy visited Manitoulin Island in this period.

Current Location: British Museum, London, UK
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: Am.2607.a
Collection at Current Location: Christy Collection
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1860s
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Henry Christy
Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: 1856-1869
Collection Narratives and Histories

Acquired by Henry Christy from Manitoulin Island between 1856 and 1869, who then donated it to the British Museum.

GKS Reference Number: 26814
How to Cite this Item

Unknown Anishinaabeg artist, box. Currently in the British Museum, Am.2607.a. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip December 2007; GRASAC item id 26814.

Record Creation Context

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).

Record Creation Notes/Observations

Researchers present: Heidi Bohaker (HB), John Borrows (JB), Lindsay Borrows (LB), Alan Corbiere (AC), Henrietta Lidchi (HL), Stacey Loyer (SL), Janis Monture (JM), Bruce Morito (BM), Ruth Phillips (RP), Anne De Stecher (AS), Cory Willmott (CW).

Approximate Place of Origin

45.7335, -82.1694

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