Materials

blackened hide; moosehair (or quills) white and dyed red, pink, cream, and blue; linen tape; sinew or thread.

Techniques or Format

The moccasins have centre heel seams, inset vamps with puckering around vamps. There are no cuffs but the raw edges and remnant stitches suggest there were originally separate cuff. The heel seams were once decorated with a line of moosehair which is now detached. The embroidery appears to be appliqued or couched with thread or sinew. The hide or thong ties on each moccasin have a linen tape loop which is attached to the top of the foot opening at front -- its purpose is unclear. Possibly it is early an stabilization/conservation effort, or for decoration.

Motifs and Patterns

Floral motifs

Dimensions: 14.3 × 0 × 0 cm

Condition: Poor. Badly damaged, with moosehair or quill embroidery coming apart especially at top of heel area and side of cuff, and the colours have all faded.

Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Based on their similarity to moccasins attributed to this period.

Current Location: Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery at the University of Glasgow, Scotland

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: GLAHM E.111

Date of Acquisition by the Institution: unknown

Collection Narratives and Histories

Collection history unknown.

Sources to Learn More

Phelps, Steven. 1976 Art and artefacts of the Pacific, Africa and the Americas : the James Hooper Collection / [by] Steven Phelps Hutchinson [for Christie, Manson & Woods] (London) p. 328, 344 and 345.

GKS Reference Number: 26930

How to Cite this Item

Item to be cited by catalog number, collection and institution.

Record Creation Context

This record was created during a GRASAC research visit to The Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, University of Glasgow, April 2007.

Record Creation Notes/Observations

On-site researchers: Cory Willmott, Laura Peers, Ruth Phillips, Keith Jamieson, Alan Corbiere, Sally-Ann Coupar