moccasins

moccasins

moccasins

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Introduction

A pair of children's moccasins with puckered toes and decorated with raised beadwork. Hodenosaunee, possibly Mohawk or Tuscarora, made between 1870-1910. Donated to the Pitt Rivers Museum by Isabella Christina (Montagu) Burrows in 1938.

Nation of Maker: Hodenosaunee/Haudenosaunee Mohawk Tuscarora
Nation of Origin

The stylistic features and motifs suggest the moccasins are of Hodenosaunee origin. A note in the catalogue record by GES Turner says, "The type was favoured by the Mohawk and the Tuscarora and these may well have come from Caughnawaga."

Place of Origin: Kahnawake
Date Made or Date Range: 1870s to 1910s
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Created from information in the Pitt Rivers Museum catalogue and observations made by the GRASAC research team.

Materials

hide, commercially tanned moose; velvet, brown; cotton pair binding, red; glazed calico; beads, sizes 10 and 8, white, rose, red, periwinkle, light blue, mustard, translucent mustard, translucent green, clear; paper

Techniques or Format

Made of commercially tanned hide with velvet vamps and cuffs edged in red cotton pair binding, and lined with glazed calico. The beadwork is raised, which is a characteristically Iroquoian technique.

Motifs and Patterns

Floral motifs decorate the vamp and cuffs.

Original and Subsequent Uses

This style of moccasin was made for the tourist trade.

Dimensions: 16.7 × 7.3 × 0 cm
Condition: The Pitt Rivers Museum conservator, Heather Richardson, found the moccasins to be in good condition.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

1875-1910 (estimate). This style of beaded moccasin was a popular item for sale among Niagara Falls tourists during this period.

Current Location: Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford, United Kingdom
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 1935.75.37
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1938
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Isabella Christina (Montagu) Burrows
Collection Narratives and Histories

One of several items loaned to the Pitt Rivers Museum by Isabella Christina (Montagu) Burrows in 1935, and donated in 1938.

GKS Reference Number: 27029
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), Al Corbiere (AC), Stacey Loyer (SL), Janis Monture (JM), Laura Peers (LP), Ruth Phillips (RP), Anne De Stecher (AS), Cory Willmott (CW).

Approximate Place of Origin

45.3896, -73.6776

Source of Information about Places

Manufacture and stylistic features.

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