box, cigar case

box, cigar case

box, cigar case

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Introduction

Birch bark cigar case embroidered with moosehair (or possibly porcupine quill) in a naturalistic floral design. This item was part of the Christy Collection donated to the British Museum and based on style, originated in the Huron-Wendat community of Lorette.

Nation of Maker: Huron-Wendat
Nation of Origin

Wendat: Huron-Wendat. British Museum record attributes it to Huron community. The style of the cigar case supports this.

Place of Origin: Wendake
Date Made or Date Range: Mid 19 C to Late 19 C
Materials

This cigar case is made of birch bark embroidered with moose hair or possibly porcupine quill; thread is used in the embroidery technique.

Techniques or Format

Couching technique is used on the edges of the case.

Motifs and Patterns

The case is embroidered in a naturalistic design of floral motifs; the two sides are different.

Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Stylistic

Current Location: British Museum, London, UK
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: Am.2605
Collection at Current Location: Christy Collection
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1860s to 1869
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Henry Christy, Christy Collection
Collection Narratives and Histories

Henry Christy was a hatter and also an ethnographer. In 1850 he started a series of journies to study ethnography. See British Museum biography. He could have bought the cigar case in Niagara Falls, Quebec City or Lorette. The Huron-Wendat of Lorette sold these commodity items in various locations.

GKS Reference Number: 24614
How to Cite this Item

Unknown Huron-Wendat artist, box, cigar case. Currently in the British Museum, Am.2605. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip December 2007; GRASAC item id 24614.

Record Creation Notes/Observations

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, Dec. 8-22, 2007, funded by a grant from the International Opportunity Fund of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

Approximate Place of Origin

46.869279102, -71.347896113

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