Materials

The base material is a dark brown velvet or dark brown broadcloth. Black silken ribbon has been used for edging around the top opening. Sewn with cotton linen thread. Decorated with seed beads in white, mustard or greasy yellow, violet, turquoise, light blue, medium blue, transluscent green, translusent red, transluscent gold, and transluscent white/clear. Iridescent white beads have been used as edging on the back flap.

Techniques or Format

Two pieces of base material sewn together with a small pocket on the underside of the flap.

Motifs and Patterns

Leaf motifs are on both the flap and body of the bag. They are outlined with single and double lines of different colours of beads. The body of the bag has a floral motif outlined with wavy lines and a scallopped pattern with a single white bead placed in the centre of each scallop.

Dimensions: 18 × 15 × 0 cm

Condition: Poor. There is bead loss, broken threads and deteriorating edging.

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

Chatelaine bags are from the Victorian era.

Current Location: British Museum, London, UK

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: Am1935,0710.7

GKS Reference Number: 26104

How to Cite this Item

Unknown Haudenosaunee artist, chatelaine bag. Currently in the British Museum, Am1935,0710.7. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip December 2007; GRASAC item id 26104.

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, December 8-22 2007, funded by a grant from the International Opportunities fund of the Social Sciences 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).