container, birchbark

container, birchbark

container, birchbark

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Introduction

An Anishinaabe birchbark container (mokuk) from the Lake Superior region made between 1800-1830. Decorated with porcupine quills in heart and floral motifs. Purchased from Philipp Franz Balthasar von Siebold in 1837.

Nation of Maker: Anishinaabe
Nation of Origin

Museum documentation

Date Made or Date Range: 1800/1830
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Museum documentation, GRASAC generated

Materials

birchbark; porcupine quills; narrow splint; thread or vegetable fibre; spruce root

Techniques or Format

Base is made of a piece of birchbark folded and sewn at the sides, and a narrow splint is sewn to the rim. The lid is made of a piece of birchbark and is bound to the rim of the base with spruce root. Porcupine quillwork decorates the top, and two sides of the box.

Motifs and Patterns

Floral and leaf shapes; heart shape on one side

Other Notes

Museum documentation refers to object as a "sugar box". This object is very similar to a mokuk in the Christy Collection at the British Museum which is filled with maple sugar (Am,St.794a).

Dimensions: 8 × 3.5 × 4 cm
Condition: Much of the quillwork is missing
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Museum documentation

Current Location: Museum Volkenkunde, Leiden, Netherlands
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 1-1465
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1837
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Philipp Franz Balthasar von Siebold
Collection Narratives and Histories

Purchased from Philipp Franz Balthasar von Siebold in 1837

GKS Reference Number: 24825
Approximate Place of Origin

43.0612, -78.4489

Source of Information about Places

Museum documentation indicates: "Lake Superior"

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