garters

garters

garters

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Introduction

Pair of heddle woven garters decorated with interwoven beadwork. Anishinaabeg, made before 1860. Collected by English ethnologist Henry Christy and donated to the British Museum between 1860 and 1869.

Nation of Maker: Anishinaabe
Nation of Origin

The accompanying tag, collection history and stylistic characteristics.

Date Made or Date Range: Mid 18 C to Late 19 C
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Created with information from the British Museum accession record and observations made by the GRASAC research team.

Materials

Made with woolen yarn, natural colour and dyed olive green, red and yellow. Decorated with small white seed beads sewn on with linen thread.

Techniques or Format

The weave pattern indicates the garters were heddle woven. Beads decorate both the body and edges of the garters. At both ends the warps are separated into seven braids ending in tassles containing looped strands of white beads.

Motifs and Patterns

The garters are striped.

Original and Subsequent Uses

The British Museum object catalogue states these are "Chief's garters."

Other Notes

The looped strands of beads in the tassels are an unusual feature.

Condition: Very good.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Made before 1857-1860.

Current Location: British Museum, London, UK
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: Am.2577.a-b
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
Collection Narratives and Histories

Donated to the British Museum between 1860-1869 by the English ethnologist Henry Christy, who also collected the garters.

GKS Reference Number: 26920
How to Cite this Item

Unknown Anishinaabeg artist, garters. Currently in the British Museum, Am.2577.a-b. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip December 2007; GRASAC item id 26920.

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

46.869279102, -71.347896113

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