cap or bonnet, Glengarry

cap or bonnet, Glengarry

cap or bonnet, Glengarry

top image
Images
Introduction

This Glengarry cap or bonnet was made the Huron-Wendat, part of their nineteenth century souvenir art production. It a virtuoso example of the moosehair embroidery tradition.

Nation of Maker: Huron-Wendat
Nation of Origin

Wendat: British Museum record and stylistic attribution.

Place of Origin: Wendake
Date Made or Date Range: Mid 19 C to Late 19 C
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

BM record and GRASAC team.

Materials

The body of the cap is made of dark brown woolen cloth (could be faded black); the lining is silk tartan (under the silk tartan there is a polished or cotton lining. Is quite stiff -- is there a birch bark lining (BM records say yes, but we did not see it). The hat is elaborated with moose-hair embroidery and red silk ribbon.

Techniques or Format

"Virtuoso meter high on this one" Unusual stitch sewing the parts of the cap together, it is sewn in a black cotton thread.

Motifs and Patterns

Floral

Dimensions: 30 × 0 × 0 cm
Condition: Good: some of the ribbon and lining is missing, and a little of the moose hair is missing.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

This kind of high quality work was produced in the late 19th c. Bonnets came into fashion with Queen Victoria in the mid-19th C. 1850 - 1870, likely 1860s. It is a dark chocolate colour; brown becomes more popular in this period.

Current Location: British Museum, London, UK
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: AM1984,15.1
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1984
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Mayorcas Ltd.
GKS Reference Number: 24699
How to Cite this Item

Unknown artist, cap or bonnet, Glengarry. Currently in the British Museum, AM1984,15.1. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip December 2007; GRASAC item id 24699.

Record Creation Context

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 Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

Record Creation Notes/Observations

Researchers present: Heidi Bohaker (HB), John Borrows (JB), Lindsay Borrows (LB), Darlene Johnston (DJ), Stacey Loyer (SL), Janis Monture (JM), Bruce Morito (BM), Ruth Phillips (RP), Cory Willmott (CW).

Approximate Place of Origin

46.869279102, -71.347896113

Do You Have Knowledge to Contribute? Share with Us.