knife sheath

knife sheath

knife sheath

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Introduction

Knife sheath with quill work design on front.

Date Made or Date Range: Early 18 C to Early 19 C
Materials

Made of smoked deer hide, quills, bird and porcupine, pony beads, dye: red, yellow

Techniques or Format

Sheath formed of two pieces of hide sewn together, decoration made by wrapping two splints (bark?) with dyed porcupine quills and interweaving other quills to form diamond shapes, overcast stitching, beaded edging, neck straps are double folded porcupine quill around sinew,

Other Notes

Neck strap is still attached which is quite rare

Condition: Fair, only remnants of tassels (probably metal cones filled with animal hair) originally attached to bottom, all that remains is the core fibre (commercial linen thread)
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Early 18th or early 19th century

Current Location: National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: A.1956.664
Collection Narratives and Histories

transferred from the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland

GKS Reference Number: 25872
How to Cite this Item

Unknown artist, knife sheath. Currently at National Museums Scotland, A.1956.664. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip December 2007 in which the author took part; GRASAC item id 25872.

Record Creation Notes/Observations

9 Apr 2007 Ruth Phillips, On-site researchers: Cory Willmott, Heidi Bohaker, Laura Peers, Ruth Phillips, Keith Jamieson, Alan Corbiere, Henrietta Lidchi, Robert Storrie, Chantal Knowles, Brenda McGoff

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