moccasins

moccasins

moccasins

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Introduction

Pair of black-dyed moosehide moccasins elaborated with porcupine quill work. Originally from the collection of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, a group of works known as the Royal collection.

Nation of Maker: Huron-Wendat
Nation of Origin

Based on materials and style.

Date Made or Date Range: Early 18 C to Mid 18 C
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

MQB catalogue and archives.

Materials

Dyed and smoked moosehide; porcupine quill, red/orange, white, ivory; sinew.

Techniques or Format

The heal seam goes up the back, covered with a panel of zigzag, with a line of oversewn white quill bordering it. It is not a T seam, it is one seam straight down which is then open at either side in a little loop. Edging: a piece of thong is wrapped with quill to form an edge around the top of the moccasins.

It is constructed with a central seam down the front of the foot, which gathers over the toe in a kind of drawstring technique.

There is a string of hide that is attached with quill on the front of the cuffs. Possibly a tie.

Motifs and Patterns

Row of unfolding spirals on either side of the heel seam.Circles filled with spirals in oversewn quill on the sides.

Dimensions: 21 × 0 × 20 cm
Condition: Poor. Considerable loss of quill work, hide is brittle, overall fragile.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

These moccasins are from the collection of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, which dates from before 1792. Based on materials and style, Autumn Epple suggests they date between 1700 and 1750.

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 71.1878.32.138
Link to Institution's Collections Database: www.quaibranly.fr
Collection Narratives and Histories

The ethnographic works from the Bibliothèque Nationale du France are located in the Musée du quai Branly in Paris. These ethnographic works were brought together in this collection at the time of the French Revolution, around 1792. Many of these works came from the Jardin du Roi, the collection of the French kings. In 1792, inventories were made of the possessions of aristocratic French families in Paris and the provinces and many objects were selected to be added to the Bibliothèque Nationale, which was the national collection of the new Republic. Ethnographic material from the Bibliothèque Nationale was located at the Musée d'ethnographie du Trocadéro, then the Musée de l’Homme, and is now in the Musée du quai Branly.

GKS Reference Number: 1384
How to Cite this Item

Unknown artist, moccasins. Currently in the Musée du quai Branly, 71.1878.32.138. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip; GRASAC item id 1384.

Record Creation Context

This record was created by Anne de Stecher during an RAship for Prof. Ruth Phillips.

Record Creation Notes/Observations

deStecher, Annette. Engaged Histories: Wendat Women’s Souvenir Artsof Cultural Preservation and Entrepreneurial Invention. PhD dissertation. Ottawa: Carleton University, 2013.

Copyright

This record will be open on the completion of Anne de Stecher's dissertation in 2011.

Approximate Place of Origin

43.7918, -84.2994

Source of Information about Places

MQB catalogue, Upper St. Laurence River