Materials

birchbark; moose-hair (or porcupine quills), natural and dyed green, tan, orange, black, and rust; commercial cotton thread, rust coloured

Techniques or Format

This item is embroidered and sewn. The birchbark has been cut in the shape of a heraldic crest or shield. The embroidery is done with animal hair or quill, in French knots.

Motifs and Patterns

The item is elaborated with floral motifs and the shape of the birchbark.

Additional Context

RP says this may be an example of Wendat "gothic revivial." It also seems a bit small to be a fire screen -- it may have been a wall plaque. The PRM object catalogue record has a note [21/12/95 by Linda Mowat] which identifies this item as a fire-screen, as seen in the film 'Pride & Prejudice.' In that use, it would be mounted on a handle and used to protect ladies' faces from the heat.

Original and Subsequent Uses

This work was made as a commodity for sale in the tourist market.

Other Notes

The debate continues as to whether the embroidery material is moosehair, porcupine quill, or possibly porcupine hair. The accession book entry reads that this is done in moosehair not in quill-work. One of these items is illustrated in Turner's Hair Embroidery Oct Paper 7 where it is described as "decorated panel."

Dimensions: 27 × 19.6 × 0 cm

Condition: The screen is in fair condition. It has received conservation treatment and is mounted for stability. There are some cracks and it is missing some edging (HR-PRM conservator).

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

It was collected c.1865, and this is the period when these works were made.

Current Location: Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford, United Kingdom

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 1912.38.5

Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1912

Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: F.C. Woodforde Esq. possibly Francis Cardew Woodforde

Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: 1860s

Collection Narratives and Histories

Collected by F.C. Woodforde (possibly Francis Cardew Woodforde) circa 1865. Donate to the Pitt Rivers Museum in October, 1912. The Pitt Rivers object catalogue states that Woodforde collected items "in Canada, chiefly in New Brunswick."

Publication History

In the PRM object catalogue is a reference to 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' which may be a publication. The PRM accession book entry says that one of these is illustrated in Turner's 'Hair Embroidery' Oct [?sic-illegible] Paper 7 where it is described as "decorated panel."

GKS Reference Number: 25939

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), Stacey Loyer (SL), Janis Monture (JM), Laura Peers (LP), Ruth Phillips (RP), Anne De Stecher (AS), Cory Willmott (CW).