moccasins

moccasins

moccasins

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Introduction

Smoked or black-dyed deer hide moccasins are embroidered in stylized floral designs with moosehair or possibly porcupine quill. Huron-Wendat from the community of Wendake (formerly Lorette). They are unusual in their lace up style.

Nation of Maker: Huron-Wendat
Place of Origin: Wendake
Date Made or Date Range: Early 19 C to Mid 19 C
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

British Museum records and December 2007 field trip notes.

Materials

These moccasins are made of smoked or dyed deer skin, elaborated with moose hair embroidery. Dark brown linen thread was used, with cotton edging and blackened or dyed dark brown laces.The British Museum record lists porcupine quill as the embroidery material, and there is ongoing discussion over which it is.

Techniques or Format

It is constructed with an insert vamp over puckers, t-seam at the heel, high top cuff, faux panel embroidery at fold-down of cuff, and four-hole laces.

Motifs and Patterns

The vamp design is a single white line of embroidery with double curve motif, three- lobe stylized floral motif. The design includes fronds, curved lines with multiple branches curving off. The cuff designs involve the five- lobe and three-lobe floral motifs with a double curve motif and a shallow scallop border, on a Faux Cuff.

Other Notes

High on the virtuosity scale.

Condition: good - a little faded
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

1820-1840

Current Location: British Museum, London, UK
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: Am1921.1014.87
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1921
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Yorkshire Philosophical Society Museum
GKS Reference Number: 26123
How to Cite this Item

Unknown Huron-Wendat artist, moccasins. Currently in the British Museum, Am1921.1014.87. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip December 2007; GRASAC item id 26123.

Record Creation Notes/Observations

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 Opportunity Fund of the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

Approximate Place of Origin

46.869279102, -71.347896113

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