letters folder, birchbark

letters folder, birchbark

letters folder, birchbark

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Introduction

An Anishinaabe birchbark letters folder with separate front and back cover, decorated with dyed porcupine quills in floral and geometric motifs, made in the 1880s. Gifted to the museum by Professor M. J. de Goeje in 1901.

Nation of Maker: Anishinaabe
Nation of Origin

Museum documentation

Date Made or Date Range: 1880s
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

GRASAC generated

Materials

birchbark; dyed porcupine quills; spruce root; narrow splint

Techniques or Format

Separate front and back cover made of pieces of birchbark with birchbark liner, bound with narrow splint along the edges with sewn spruce root. Front cover decorated with quillwork, back cover decorated with possibly spruce root(?)

Motifs and Patterns

Front cover: floral and geometric motifs, possibly starburst. Back cover: four possibly star motifs surrounding one larger possibly star motif.

Other Notes

3 holes on the inside edges of each cover were likely for the lacing of spruce root or possibly ribbon for binding

Dimensions: 31 × 23.5 × 0 cm
Condition: Good
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: 1285-1
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1901
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Professor M. J. de Goeje
Collection Narratives and Histories

Gifted to the museum by Professor M. J. de Goeje in 1901

GKS Reference Number: 24824
Approximate Place of Origin

45.8, -83.9

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