pin cushion

pin cushion

pin cushion

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Introduction

A pin cushion heavily beaded using the raised beading technique with clear, red, yellow, blue, green and white glass beads on a pink background with four loops of beaded fringe.

Nation of Maker: Mohawk
Nation of Origin

Stylistic similarities to other well documented Mohawk tri-lobe pin cushions identified in Dolores Elliott's 2009 chapter Iroquois Beadwork: A Haudenosaunee Tradition and Art

Date Made or Date Range: 1916
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Information retrieved from NCCT catalogue and MMMC Handling Sessions

Materials

Cotton canvas, cotton broadcloth, heavy paper, glass beads, metal sequins, fabric backing material, cotton thread

Techniques or Format

Raised beading technique

Motifs and Patterns

A three-domed, heart shaped cushion referred to as a trilobe pin cushion. It is heavily beaded in the Mohawk raised beading technique with mostly clear large, glass beads. On the top of the three lobes are leaf motifs beaded with clear beads as well as one red, green, blue, yellow leaf. There are two central animal figures on a hot pink background, a squirrel beaded with clear, yellow and white beads, a beaver beaded with clear, red, and white beads. There is also a large, long leaf shape beaded with clear beads and several beaded linear designs ending with sequins. There is thick paper cut-outs underneath the beadwork. Clear glass beads are looped around the edge rim of the pin cushion. There are four loops of fringe made from clear and white glass beads and larger black trade ? beads. One extra set of fringe loops are missing on the left side. The back of the pin cushion is lined with cotton canvas fabric.

Condition: Fair to poor; top seam has come unstiched, pink fabric on the top is badly damaged perhaps from light or natural degradation. The sequins are degrading. Some beading is loose and one large fringe is missing on the left side.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

This pin cushion used to be stuffed with a newspaper printed in 1916

Current Location: Native Canadian Centre of Toronto
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 2002.1.6
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 2002
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Unknown
Collection Narratives and Histories

This pin cushion was found in the NCCT collection with no indication of its collection history or provenance. It is possible it was part of the Anglican Church Women's donation to the NCCT.

GKS Reference Number: 25017
How to Cite this Item

Unknown Mohawk artist, pin cushion. Currently at the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto, 2002.1.6. NCCT Archive; GRASAC item id 25017.

Approximate Place of Origin

43.3, -78.1

Source of Information about Places

Mohawk (Haudenosaunee) beading style.

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