belt or strap

belt or strap

belt or strap

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Introduction

This relative is a belt or strap decorated with wrapped plaited quillwork, featuring a central netted quillwork band and beaded fringe with ribbon tabs. While the precise origins of this relative are not clear, it is believed to have originated in the Great Lakes circa 1800. This relative was purchased by the Museum Volkenkunde from the widow of the original collector, Carl Benjamin Hermann Baron von Rosenberg (1817-1888), in 1889.

It currently resides in Museum Volkenkunde, Leiden, Netherlands. 

Name of Maker(s): Unrecorded
Maker role: Artist
Date Made or Date Range: 1800-1889
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Museum documentation, GRASAC generated

Materials

Vegetable fibre or long fine skin thongs(?); dyed porcupine quills; glass beads; possible cotton tape(?); possibly silk or cotton ribbon(?)

Techniques or Format

The strap is made of possibly vegetable fibres or hide thongs(?) wrapped with quillwork. The central portion of the strap is ornamented with woven quillwork in netted technique. The sides of the strap are loose fibre strands or skin thongs wrapped with quills in one quill plaiting technique. Each of the loose wrapped quillwork ends of the strap are bound with possibly cotton tape and hide thong. The cotton tape or hide thong also secures strings of glass beads terminating in silk or cotton ribbon tabs to either end of the strap.

Motifs and Patterns

Opposing diamond shapes on central woven portion; alternating lines and blocks of colour of dark brown, white and orange on wrapped quillwork strands

Original and Subsequent Uses

This relative may be a quilled women's hair fall, similar to the beaded side stitch styles worn by Woodlands scrub or applique style dancers today (this information was provided by Jennifer Francis Bennett in February 2026 via GKS Webform Submission).

Dimensions: 192 × 4 × 0 cm
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Museum documentation

Current Location: Museum Volkenkunde, Leiden, Netherlands
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 695-31
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1889
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Karoline Elisabeth Louise von Breidenbach zu Breidenstein, widow of the original collector Carl Benjamin Hermann Baron von Rosenberg (1817-1888).
Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: 1800
Collection Narratives and Histories

Purchased from the widow [Karoline Elisabeth Louise von Breidenbach zu Breidenstein] of the original collector Carl Benjamin Hermann Baron von Rosenberg in 1889. It is not clear if von Rosenberg ever visited North America personally.

Source for Provenance information

Museum documentation.

Sources to Learn More

Wihnmalen,Th. C. L. (1889). Carl Benjamin Hermann Baron von Rosenberg. Bijdragen Tot de Taal-, Land- En Volkenkunde van Nederlandsch-Indië, 38(1), 130–143.

GKS Reference Number: 25200
How to Cite this Item

Maker, Name unrecorded. belt or strap. GRASAC ID 25200. Museum Volkenkunde 695-31.

Record Creation Context

This record was augmented by Dana Murray on March 15, 2026. It was informed by notes and images collected by GRASAC researchers and museum documentation.

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