Materials

Birch bark, porcupine quills, sweet grass, cotton thread

Techniques or Format

(A) Box: Circular base, Four rows of sweet grass (bundle foundation), sewn with widely-spaced (0.5 cm) stitches in black thread, First coil sewn to edge of birch bark circle, next three coils turn up to form first section of vertical side wall, Side wall consists of two layers of rectangular birch bark pieces: outer wall (single piece) folded around and secured with three stitches of thread at side seam upon which there is a white quillwork embroidered design of oval leaves and stems, Interior lined with plain birch bark (three pieces) to conceal ends of quills used in embroidery, Rim consists of three rows of sweet grass (bundle foundation), sewn with widely spaced (0.5 cm) stitches in black thread.
(B) Lid: Flat, circular, Collar of birch bark fits inside the box, Three rows of coiled sweet grass stitched with black cotton thread sewn around birch bark centre which consists of two layers, Inner layer of plain birch bark conceals ends of quillwork, Collar is stitched through the second coil of sweet grass to secure it.

Motifs and Patterns

Maple leaf encircled by seven leaves, Curved incised lines join the leaves

Original and Subsequent Uses

Household Accessory. Used as an exhibit piece by the Hudson's Bay Company at Beaver House in London.

Other Notes

Broken and missing quills, warped lid, broken stitches at rim, Blue and white oval sticker on bottom: "3c"

Dimensions: 0 × 0 × 7.9 cm

Condition: Fair

Current Location: Manitoba Museum, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: HBC 73-220

Link to Institution's Collections Database: https://manitobamuseum.ca/main/collections-research/collections-database/

Collection at Current Location: Hudson's Bay Company Museum Collection

Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1994/00/00

Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Part of HBC Museum Collection donated to The Manitoba Museum by the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1994.

Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: October 15, 1937

Previous Collectors: HBC

Collection Narratives and Histories

On display or in storage at HBC Beaver House, London, England from 1937 to 1972 c.

Source for Provenance information

based on catalogue information

Exhibition History

On display or in storage at HBC Beaver House, London, England from 1937 to 1972 c.

GKS Reference Number: 58874

How to Cite this Item

Manitoba Museum