Mittens Item Number: 50.67.12a-b from the Brooklyn Museum
Description
The backs of these mittens and the thumbs are quilled with red, light blue, white, and purple porcupine quills in a floral design. The main composition is symmetrically arranged around an equal-armed, eight pointed element on a quadrate layout. The effect is of a flowering plant bursting into blossoms toward the fingertips so that the design is oriented towards the wearer. Design elements consist of the double curve cross, the trefoil, tear drop shaped and heart shaped motifs. A smaller curvilinear floral and leaf is embroidered on the thumb. Clustered on a single stem, similar design elements appear in blue, red, white, and purple. The cuffs are made of dark blue Stroud cloth decorated at the border with beads and ribbon. From the upper third of the cuff, proceeding toward the fingers, the ornaments are arranged: a scalloped design of white beads, each point terminating in a trilobal design; then a field of red ribbon; followed by a simple line of single white beads; a narrow band of gold or dark yellow ribbon; and finally a border of two lines of white beads. Blue and white bird quills decorate the seams. See supplementary file in Arts of Americas office.
Credit Line
Henry L. Batterman Fund and the Frank Sherman Benson Fund
Item History
- Made between 1800 and 1825
What
- Name
- Mittens
- Identification Number
- 50.67.12a-b
- Type of Item
- mitten
- Material
- buckskin, porcupine quill, bird quill, stroud cloth, silk ribbon, glass bead, cloth, thread and sinew
- Overall
- length 10.0 in, width 5.75 in
Who
- Culture
- Red River Metis
Where
- Holding Institution
- Brooklyn Museum
When
- Creation Date
- between 1800 and 1825
Other
- Classification
- Accessory