pendant, bear claw

pendant, bear claw

pendant, bear claw

top image
Images
Introduction

This ancestor is a pendant made from bear claws, glass beads, silk and leather. The large sized beads are opaque blue, black, translucent orange, and black with blue stripes. This ancestor has three bear claws attached, with silk ribbon in a green, red, and purple colouring. Two white cone-shaped beads are present at the top of the pendant. All pieces are strung on a hide thong. This ancestor is currently located at the Detroit Institute of Arts. 

Nation of Maker: Anishinaabe
Place of Origin: Wisconsin, USA
Date Made or Date Range: 1860
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

DIA Records

Materials

Glass beads, bear claw, silk, leather

Techniques or Format

Ornamental pendant composed of short string of large wound glass beads. Beads are opaque blue and black, translucent orange and striped blue against black. There are three bear claw pendants, short lengths of purple, green and red silk ribbon, and two cone-shaped white beads, all strung on a hide thong.

Additional Context

Round blue beads and 'barleycorn beads' often seen on fur trade inventories, but Cory Willmott has never been able to identify what they were. She wondered if these might be an example.

Other Notes

According to Pohrt, pendant was possibly suspended by a choker necklace.

Dimensions: 9.5 × 1.5 × 0.5 in
Condition: This ancestor is in fair condition.
Current Location: Detroit Institute of Arts, MI, USA
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 81.599
Link to Institution's Collections Database: https://dia.org/collection/bear-claw-pendant-37690
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]

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

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

Source for Provenance information

As displayed on DIA catalogue entry.

GKS Reference Number: 24395
How to Cite this Item

Unknown Maker. "Bear Claw Pendant". GKS ID number 24395, located in the Detroit Institute of Arts, catalogue number 81.599.

Record Creation Context

This record was augmented by Natasha Fares in December 2023.

Approximate Place of Origin

44.736, -88.788

Do You Have Knowledge to Contribute? Share with Us.