box, quilled

box, quilled

box, quilled

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Introduction

A round lidded birchbark quilled box with a pinwheel design, made around 1995 by Kathy VanDeCar of the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa. Purchased by Frances Vincent in 1995, in Michigan, for Cambridge University's Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

Name of Maker(s): Kathy VanDeCar
Nation of Maker: Odawa
Nation of Origin

The artist is from Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa, Harbor Springs, Michigan.

Reasons for connecting this relative with particular nation(s)

Signed on the bottom of the quilled box

Place of Origin: Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa
Date Made or Date Range: 1990 to 1995
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Museum documentation and the GRASAC research team.

Materials

birchbark; undyed porcupine quills; sweetgrass; nylon thread

Techniques or Format

A round lidded box, fully lined. The liner is cut in a scalloped contour in both the top and bottom. Sweetgrass is bound around the inner edge of the box. Sweetgrass is bound around the inner edge of the box. The box is decorated with porcupine quillwork.

Motifs and Patterns

This design is called 'pinwheel.'

Other Notes

"The artist learned the art of quillwork from her mentor Donald Naganashe, an Ottawa master quillworker" - note from MAA database

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

It was purchased in 1995, probably from the artist.

Current Location: Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, UK
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 1995.344 A-B
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1995
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Frances Vincent
Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: 1995
Collection Narratives and Histories

Purchased by Frances Vincent in Michigan. She was a temporary curatorial and display assistant at Cambridge University's Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

Exhibition History

displayed in a temporary exhibition, "Basketry from the Americas," in Social Anthropology Department from November 1995 to ?

GKS Reference Number: 24690
How to Cite this Item

Kathy VanDeCar, box, quilled. Currently in the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, 1995.344 A-B. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip May 2009; GRASAC item id 24690.

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

Participants: Trudy Nicks, Laura Peers, Alison Brown, Sherry Farrell-Racette, Rachel Hand, Ruth Phillips, Stacey Loyer, and Amber Berson.

Approximate Place of Origin

45.43676, -84.92103

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