sash

sash

sash

top image
Introduction

Netted sash. Anishinaabeg, made around 1750. Donated to the British Museum between 1860 and 1869 by its collector, English ethnologist Henry Christy.

Nation of Maker: Anishinaabe
Nation of Origin

RP says the style appears to be Anishinaabeg.

Date Made or Date Range: Mid 18 C
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Created with information from the British Museum accession record and observations made by the GRASAC research team.

Materials

Made of bison hair and decorated with red dyed and white porcupine quills, metal cones and red dyed deer hair.

Techniques or Format

Constructed using a netting technique, in which warps are quill wrapped at regular intervals. There are eleven quill wrapped tassels on both sides that terminate in tin cones containing wool and deer hair.

Motifs and Patterns

Both the quills used in the netting and tassels are grouped into red and white blocks.

Original and Subsequent Uses

The GRASAC research team stated that this netted sash would have been worn in a formal context.

Condition: This item is in good condition.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

According to the GRASAC research team, this net was made with a pre-contact technique. The materials could be from the mid-17th through to the 19th century. However, it has the look of an 18th century piece, so it was likely made around 1750.

Current Location: British Museum, London, UK
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: Am.2643
Collection at Current Location: Christy Collection
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Henry Christy
Collection Narratives and Histories

This item was collected by English ethnologist Henry Christy, who donated it, along with numerous other items, to the British Museum between 1860 and 1869.

Publication History

JHC King, 'Thunderbird and Lightning' (1982) p.50.

GKS Reference Number: 26674
How to Cite this Item

Unknown Anishinaabeg artist, sash. Currently in the British Museum, Am.2643. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip December 2007; GRASAC item id 26674.

Record Creation Context

This record was created as part of a Great Lakes Research Alliance for the Study of Aboriginal Arts and Cultures (GRASAC) research trip to the Pitt Rivers Museum and British Museum, December 8-22 2007, funded by a grant from the International Opportunities fund of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

Record Creation Notes/Observations

Researchers present: Heidi Bohaker (HB), John Borrows (JB), Lindsay Borrows (LB), Alan Corbiere (AC), Henrietta Lidchi (HL), Stacey Loyer (SL), Janis Monture (JM), Bruce Morito (BM), Ruth Phillips (RP), Anne De Stecher (AS), Cory Willmott (CW).

Approximate Place of Origin

45.8, -83.9