Materials

tanned skin, cotton lining, porcupine quill (orange/red, turquoise blue, yellow and white), vegetable fibre string, metal cones, hair

Techniques or Format

porcupine quill decoration on face in zigzag band and simple line techniques

Other Notes

flap-type closure; natural cotton lining; front top bound with printed cotton; edges are covered in indigenous vegetable fibre string and bound with quills; tassels of orange/red and white (originally green?) hair and metal cones, strung on vegetable fibre string attached at base of pouch and flap

Dimensions: 17.5 × 18.5 × 0 cm

Condition: fragile; skin deteriorating, extensive damage to quillwork and tassels

Current Location: Canadian Museum of History, Ottawa, Canada

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: III-X-265

Collection at Current Location: Speyer Collection

Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1973

Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: A. Speyer

Collection Narratives and Histories

(from Speyer via T. Brasser) Acquired from Van Lier, a dealer in Utrecht, Holland, by Heyink, who exchanged it with Speyer in 1960. Van Lier acquired it in England. Speyer cat. no. 112.

Sources to Learn More

(T. Brasser) combination of red and white hair tassels is a Huron trait
Benndorf and Speyer, 1968

GKS Reference Number: 26929