Headdress Item Number: 3345/1 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Basketry headdress with bead decorations. Eight coiled basketry splints sewn together at left and right sides to form circular frame. Exterior of headdress covered entirely in glass beads. Beads form a mirrored, vertical stripe pattern. In centre, on both front and back, is a wide dark blue stripe with a yellow line down the middle. On either side of the dark blue stripe are white bands, red-orange bands, and then thin emerald green stripes. Six horizontal strands of yellow glass beads, on front and back, drape across entire vertical stripe design. Two columns of cowrie shells on left and right sides, splitting up front and back halves of headdress. Three groupings of coins hang from back of headdress, close to the top edge, at the ends of alternating red-orange and dark blue beaded strands. White fabric name tag, reading “Gordon Wilson,” attached to back interior wall of headdress, towards left side.
Narrative
Collected by the donor's father, Gordon Wilson, while living in Kenya and doing research.
Item History
- Made in Kenya
- Collected during 1960
- Owned by Gordon M. Wilson
- Owned by Susan French before February 8, 2019
- Received from Susan French (Donor) on February 8, 2019
What
- Name
- Headdress
- Identification Number
- 3345/1
- Type of Item
- headdress
- Material
- plant fibre, glass, cowrie shell, metal and fibre
- Overall
- height 12.7 cm, width 18.4 cm, depth 16.2 cm
Who
- Culture
- Samburu
- Previous Owner
- Gordon M. Wilson and Susan French
- Received from
- Susan French (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Kenya
When
- Collection Date
- during 1960
- Ownership Date
- before February 8, 2019
- Acquisition Date
- on February 8, 2019
Other
- Item Classes
- beadwork; basketry
- Condition
- fair
- Accession Number
- 3345/0001