Birchbark Tray
date: label: Accession Date
content: 12 May 1982
label: Collection Date
content: 1854
name: label: Collector
content: J. V. Smedley
label: Donor Name
content: Miss Ruth D. Wehle
notes: label: Notes
content: SHALLOW, RECTANGULAR, BIRCHBARK TRAY WITH THE SIDES CURVED OUTWARD & DOWN. COVERED ON TOP WITH ELABORATE FLORAL DESIGNS IN COLORED MOOSE HAIR EMBROIDERY. INSCRIBED ON THE BACK IN INK "J.V. SMEDLY TO AUNT ANNA AUG. 3, 1854. SPECIMEN OF MOOSEHAIR WORKED ON BIRCHBARK BY THE INDIANS FROM NIAGARA, U.S." SOME OF BARK IS PEELING & THE BINDING ON EDGE IS DETERIORATING.
label: Notes
content: Possible ID would be Huron (Wendat). Embroidered birch bark trays are commonly seen as tourist items made by Native people of the Quebec region for tourism purposes, trading, and sale to collectors. Birchbark containers embroidered with moosehair were one of the specialties of Huron/Wendat women. The Micmac/Mi'kmaq made similar ones, but theirs were decorated with porcupine quillwork in geometric motifs. Sources: Bruchac, Margaret, and Liliana Gurry. “Moose Hair Embroidered Birchbark Trays: French, Native, or Both.” Penn Museum Blog, November 9, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2022, from https://www.penn.museum/blog/museum/moose-hair-embroidered-birchbark-trays-french-native-or-both/ . Sioui, Linda. “The Huron-Wendat Craft Industry from the 19th Century to Today.” Musée McCord Museum, 2007. Retrieved March 26, 2022 from http://collections.musee-mccord.qc.ca/scripts/printtour.php?tourID=cw_huronwendat_en&Lang=2 .
label: Record Last Modified
content: 13 Sep 2022
label: Specimen Count
content: 1
place: label: Place
content: Not Given, Niagara (Region), New York, United States / Canada (not certain), North America
topic: label: Topic
content: Ethnology
culture: label: Culture
content: Northeast Indian
label: Culture
content: Huron (Wendat) (?)
setName: label: See more items in
content: Anthropology
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: NMNH - Anthropology Dept.
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: 350952
label: USNM Number
content: E421357-0
objectType: label: Object Type
content: Bark Container
physicalDescription: label: Length - Object
content: 22 cm
label: Width - Object
content: 19 cm
label: Depth - Object
content: 3 cm