box, birchbark with moosehair embroidery

box, birchbark with moosehair embroidery

box, birchbark with moosehair embroidery

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Introduction

An oval lidded birchbark box embroidered in moosehair in floral designs. Huron-Wendat, from about 1840-1860. Collector and date of collection unknown. Presently in the collection of Cambridge University's Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

Nation of Maker: Huron-Wendat
Nation of Origin

Based on the style of moosehair embroidery.

Date Made or Date Range: 1840 to 1860
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Museum documentation and the GRASAC research team.

Materials

birchbark; moosehair, natural and dyed; black cotton thread

Techniques or Format

An oval lidded box formed with an interior liner. The liner projects above the sides and the lid fits down over it. The side is of one piece overlapped at the joint. French knots used for two of the central floral motifs.

Motifs and Patterns

Floral, possibly morning glory.

Other Notes

On this piece the overlap of the side makes clear that the embroidery was done on the individual flat pieces of bark before they were sewn together.

Dimensions: 13 × 9.5 × 6 cm
Condition: Good. There is some bark missing on the top and discolouration of the top moosehair.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Based on the style of embroidery, the absence of aniline dyes, and the similarity of the embroidery to a box given as a wedding gift from the Hurons of Lorette to George Henry Martin Johnson and Emily Howells of the Six Nations of the Grand River in 1853. The box is now in the Royal Ontario Museum (Object number: 922.1.83.A and B) and was accompanied by ten bundles of dyed moosehair.

Current Location: Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, UK
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: Z 35133.1-2
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: unknown
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: unknown
Collection Narratives and Histories

unknown

GKS Reference Number: 26493
How to Cite this Item

Unknown Huron-Wendat artist, box, birchbark with moosehair embroidery. Currently in the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Z 35133.1-2. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip May 2009; GRASAC item id 26493.

Record Creation Context

This record was created as part of a GRASAC research trip to Cambridge University's Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, May 4-9 2009.

Record Creation Notes/Observations

Researchers present: Trudy Nicks, Stacey Loyer, Alison Brown, Ruth Phillips, and Rachel Hand.

Approximate Place of Origin

44.736, -88.788

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