Mat Item Number: A6774 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Very fine lattice twined weaving. Has an oval shape. Design consists mostly of scattered purple and orange figures that include robins, whales, eagles, lizards, fish, and boats. At either short end, the birds have outstretched wings. The other three birds are in profile and are dark; dark and orange; and dark. Around the middle, there is a boat with three humans in it and a large dark fish (whale ?) on the other side.
Narrative
The donor said the objects in his donation should be known as the Hillyard Mitchell collection. Mitchell (1852-1923) spent much of his working life in the Northwest Territories, later moving to Victoria, B.C. The donor also said the collection came from his grandfather, F. Carson, who had gone to Saskatchewan in 1861 as a boy of 15, and stayed until 1918. He was a fur trader and trapper, working mainly amongst the Cree, and was recorded having been at Duck Lake and Prince Albert, Sask. It is now uncertain which objects were collected by Mitchell vs collected by F. Carson.
Item History
- Made in Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
- Collected between 1861 and 1918
- Owned by F. Carson
- Owned by Hillyard Mitchell before 1923
- Owned by F. S. Carson before October 28, 1957
- Received from F. S. Carson (Donor) on October 28, 1957
What
- Name
- Mat
- Identification Number
- A6774
- Type of Item
- mat
- Material
- swamp grass and dye
- Overall
- height 0.2 cm, width 19.5 cm, depth 15.8 cm
Who
- Culture
- Nuu-chah-nulth
- Previous Owner
- F. Carson, Hillyard Mitchell and F. S. Carson
- Received from
- F. S. Carson (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
When
- Collection Date
- between 1861 and 1918
- Ownership Date
- before 1923 and before October 28, 1957
- Acquisition Date
- on October 28, 1957
Other
- Item Classes
- basketry
- Condition
- fair
- Current Location
- Case 9
- Accession Number
- 2081/0007