mookjigan crooked knife

mookjigan crooked knife

mookjigan crooked knife

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Introduction

This ancestor is a mookjigan, a crooked knife, made from wood, steel, and commercial twine. Red brown in colour, the wooden handle is highly finished and has an elbow bend with a carved animal finial motif. The front of the animal figure has a break or depression on its tip, but it is unclear if it was broken or intentionally carved. The blade is hafted to the handle with commercial twine cord in a square knot. The blade is made from steel, and is very sharp showing evidence of refiling of the knife. This ancestor is currently located in the Detroit Institute of Arts

Nation of Maker: Odawa
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular nation(s)

Odawa knife according to the Detroit Institute of Arts

Place of Origin: Michigan, USA
Date Made or Date Range: 1850
Materials

maple wood, steel, commercial twine

Techniques or Format

Crooked knife with wooden handle and thin steel blade. Highly finished handle has elbow bend and finely carved knob finial. Blade is hafted to handle with wrappings of cord which terminate with a nail and a square knot.

Motifs and Patterns

Marks: C912 in red / 2714 on tape

Additional Context

Zoomorphic motif, but not sure if bird, turtle, underwater creature or other.

Original and Subsequent Uses

Evidence that the knife was used. The blade is very sharp, and there is evidence of repeated refiling.

Dimensions: 10.375 × 2 × 3.375 in
Condition: Break or depression in front of figure - cannot be determined if it is a break or intentionally carved.
Current Location: Detroit Institute of Arts, MI, USA
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 81.295
Link to Institution's Collections Database: https://dia.org/collection/crooked-knife-56236
Collection at Current Location: Chandler Pohrt Collection
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1981
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Richard A. Pohrt
Collection Narratives and Histories

Milford G. Chandler [1889-1981]

Richard A. Pohrt [1911-2005] (Flint, Michigan, USA)

1981-present, purchase by the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)

GKS Reference Number: 25476
Record Creation Context

This record was augmented by Natasha Fares on February 12th, 2024. The photographs were removed by Natasha Fares on February 12th, 2024 to respect an agreement between the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Michigan Anishinaabeg Communities of Practice group.

Approximate Place of Origin

43.7918, -84.2994

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