birchbark basket

birchbark basket

birchbark basket

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Introduction

Basket made of birchbark, porcupine quills, silk ribbon, birch bark splint, and paper lining on the bottom and inside of the basket. The quills decorate the sides and lid of the basket with floral motifs, and six pointed stars in circles. The lid is attached to the base by two pieces of silk ribbon. The handles also have silk ribbon on the ends. This item was collected by Johann Georg Schwarz in the 1820s, and it is currently housed at the Weltmuseum Wien, Austria.

Name of Maker(s): Unknown Odawa artist
Nation of Maker: Odawa
Nation of Origin

Odawa identified on tag.

Reasons for connecting this relative with particular nation(s)

Odawa identified on tag.

Date Made or Date Range: Before 1822
Materials

Birchbark, porcupine quills, silk ribbon, paper lining on bottom and inside; birch bark splint.

Techniques or Format

Extra birch bark splint around the rim at top of basket and lid, wrapped in quills; handle attached to the top; lid attached to base by two silk ribbon, silk ribbon also at ends of handles on side; and to tie it in the front.

Motifs and Patterns

Six pointed stars, circles and stylized flowers; lid and two long sides has 6 pointed stars inside circles in different colours, the lid also has a flower motif connected to a leaf-like silhouette on the side.

Other Notes

This item may have been a purse according to an assessment by Ruth Phillips during a GRASAC trip to the Weltmuseum Wien.

Dimensions: 14 × 11 × 0 cm
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Johann Georg Schwarz collected this item, possibly when he traveled to Detroit and through Upper Canada in the winter of 1820-1821.

Current Location: Weltmuseum Wien, Vienna, Austria
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 011993
Collection at Current Location: Schwarz Collection
Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: 1820s
Collection Narratives and Histories

Johann Georg Schwarz traveled to Detroit and through Upper Canada in the winter of 1820-1821.

GKS Reference Number: 59008
How to Cite this Item

Unknown Odawa artist, basket. Currently in the Weltmuseum Wien, Vienna, Austria, 11993. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip January 2016; GRASAC item id 59008.

Record Creation Context

In January of 2016, a small team of GRASAC researchers visited the collection to study and photograph it: Ruth Phillips, Lisa Truong, Naomi Recollet (Anishinaabe (Odawa/Ojibwe), Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory) and Wahsontiio Cross (Mohawk, Kahnawake). This GKS record was created in November of 2021 by GRASAC RA Aidan Mitchell-Boudreau.

Approximate Place of Origin

46.1518006285, -82.168974436

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