Blackened smoked deer hide in medium brown; moose hair; commercial hide soles; lining is cream coloured and appears to be glove leather, very soft; cotton tape or silk ribbon(?)

These moccasins are made of blackened deer hide, embroidered in white, blue and red moose hair, and lined with possibly very soft glove leather. They have a puckered toe construction with a long inset vamp and separate cuffs that have been edged with possibly cotton tape or silk ribbon(?). Sole is made of a commercial hide.

Floral and foliate motifs in moosehair embroidery

The commercial hide soles and soft glove leather lining on these suggest they may have been made for a non-Native

Visit to Denver Art Museum of Alex Nahwegahbow and Ruth Phillips, assisted by Eric Berkemeyer and Kristin Strid on 22 Jan 2014.