cigar case

cigar case

cigar case

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Introduction

Anishinaabe quilled cigar box or case with lid, made of birchbark trimmed with silk ribbon and sewn with thread. Quillwork depicts floral motifs including thistle, and a possible military crest of a bird with two heads possibly holding arrows in talons. "APAKOSIGAN / MAJOR WILLIAMS" inscribed in quillwork on the lid. Gift from J. W. Douglas.

Nation of Maker: Anishinaabe
Nation of Origin

Museum documentation. "APAKOSIGAN" is Anishinaabe for a kind of smoking mixture.

Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

GRASAC generated

Materials

birchbark; porcupine quills; silk ribbon; thread.

Techniques or Format

Box and lid made with separate pieces of birchbark, trimmed with silk ribbon, and sewn with thread. Dyed porcupine quills ornament the sides of box and the lid.

Motifs and Patterns

Floral motifs, including thistle. One side of box depicts a bird with two heads, red and white striped breast, possibly holding arrows in talons. Below bird is possibly a flower pot(?) Writing on lid: "APAKOSIGAN / MAJOR WILLIAMS". Three unidentified motifs on one side of lid top.

Additional Context

Bird as possible military crest or insignia(?)

Other Notes

"APAKOSIGAN" means a kind of smoking mixture; it is also an Anishinaabe/Odawa name.

Dimensions: 17 × 9.1 × 0 cm
Condition: Quillwork missing, silk ribbon fragile - lid could not be removed
Current Location: Denver Art Museum, CO, USA
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 1935.334 a and b
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1935
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Gift from J. W. Douglas
Collection Narratives and Histories

Gift from J. W. Douglas

GKS Reference Number: 26914
Record Creation Context

Visit to Denver Art Museum of Alex Nahwegahbow and Ruth Phillips, assisted by Eric Berkemeyer and Kristin Strid on 22 Jan 2014

Approximate Place of Origin

43.7918, -84.2994

Source of Information about Places

Museum documentation

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