wampum cuffs

wampum cuffs

wampum cuffs

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Introduction

pair of cuffs, wampum with moose hair embroidery, purchased from Miss J. M. Kidd, Kingston, On, Huron-Wendat (Huron) or Onkwehonwe (Iroquois, Mohawk), 1700 - 1830.

Nation of Origin

Wendat: a collection sense.
Catalog Card notes "Iroquois (Mohawk)" however Dr. Ruth Phillips notes it is probably Huron type, 1996.

Date Made or Date Range: 1700/1830
Materials

shell wampum beads purple and white, thin hide thongs, warps are thin pieces of tanned and smoked hide, black dyed deer skin, moose hair in red faded to orange, white, light blue. Very small metal cones, filled with dyed moose/deer hair

Techniques or Format

hand tanned hide, fringe is rolled (JBrant: diagnostic of hand tanning as opposed to commercial tanning)

Original and Subsequent Uses

RP says possibily/could have been a 17th/18th century orament adapted to use in 19th century. Wampum cuff itself could have been originally worn as a wrist cuff (see print examples in La Potherie) and then modifed/extended to fit a coat as an epaulet on the shoulder.

Other Notes

Note: backing of hide panel has been lined with conservation fabric and nylon monofilament has been used to stich silk conservation fabric to item.

Condition: fair to poor, extremely fragile, missing cones, missing wampum.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Mixed, wampum cuff 18th, moose hair embroidery is likely 19th century. So?

Current Location: Canadian Museum of History, Ottawa, Canada
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: III-I-1086a-b
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1923
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Miss J.M. Kidd, Kingston, Ontario
GKS Reference Number: 27019
How to Cite this Item

Item to be cited by catalog number, collection and institution.

Record Creation Context

GRASAC sponsored research trip to the CMC, June 16 to 20. Supported by the SSHRC Aboriginal Research Grant, 2007-2010

Record Creation Notes/Observations

Researchers present: Jonathan Lainey (JL), Ruth Phillips (RP), Judy Hall (JH), Stacey Loyer (SL), Anne de Stecher (AS), Heidi Bohaker (HB), Aaron Mills (AM), Janis Monture (JM), John Moses (JMoses) and Jameson Brant (JBrant).

Approximate Place of Origin

45.6426, -85.036

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