Materials

birch bark, porcupine quills (undyed white, brown, dyed purple), sweetgrass, cotton thread (black)

Motifs and Patterns

A central large floral motif with 8 purple petals, and a white centre on a plain birch bark background. White fancy quillwork decorates each petal. The sides of the lid are covered with undyed porcupine quills, the edge of the lid is wrapped with sweetgrass, attached with black cotton thread. Box made from birch bark with undyed porcupine quills covering the sides. Sweetgrass is wrapped around the rim secured with black cotton thread.

Dimensions: 0 × 0 × 5 cm

Condition: Excellent. Excellent colour retention no fading no broken or missing quills

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

Condition and colour of box and quills, general agreement of MMMC group

Current Location: Native Canadian Centre of Toronto

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 2012.1.102.1-2

Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 2012

Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Unknown

Collection Narratives and Histories

The provenance of this quill box is largely unknown. it was likely donated to the History Project at the NCCT by a community member, possibly for an art auction or sale that the History Project used to hold to raise money. The quill box was found with the rest of the collection when it was catalogued in 2012. The quill box is listed in Monica Bodirsky's (former History Project coordinator) notes written in 2002.

Related language items in the GKS: gahǫhsraˀ

GKS Reference Number: 27123

How to Cite this Item

Unknown Anishinaabe artist, quill box. Currently at the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto, 2012.1.102.1-2. Information obtained from conversations with former History Project coordinator June Allison and from Monica Bodirsky's handwritten notes, NCCT Archive; GRASAC item id 27123.