Dublin Core
Title
Birch Bark Box
Object
container
Culture
Ojibwe
Brief Description
Rectangular birch bark box with hinged lid and minimal quillwork on top and sides.
Description
Rectangular birch bark box with hinged lid and minimal quillwork on top and sides.
1. Form: The box is a simple design of 6 flat bark panels. On the lid, 2 diagonal lines of red quill section the center into a parallelogram shape. Three red lines are overlaid with white crisscrossing. In the center are 2 flowers, one the reverse image of the other. They each have a green stem and bulb, with leaves, topped with a 3-petaled pink flower. Scattered around these are short double lines of white quill. On the sides is a repeated star/asterisk formation, with white vertical quills and green horizontal quills. There are 4 of these on the front and back, and 2 on the sides. All edges of the box are wrapped in bands of sweet grass, bound by the black stitching which holds the box together. Along the top and front, an extra band of sweet grass forms a sort of tab and slot below, creating a clasp which holds the lid closed. The inside has a bark lining.
2. Material and Color:
Birch bark - medium-dark brown (R216 G168 B105) to (R212 G74 B0)
Sweet grass - faded yellow (R238 G219 B168) to (R220 G204 B157)
Cotton thread - Black
Quills - white, green (R108 G117, B32), red - varies: (R181 G38 B83) to (R135 G22 B61), pink (R208 G81 B153)
3. Construction: The bark panels were cut into shape, along with the lining and stitched together.
4. Decoration: Quillwork decorates the lid and sides; sweet grass is wrapped around all edges, held into place by the stitching.
5. Skill/Care: Simple, but neat and effective design.
6. Condition: Good. Light wear, label on bottom, one piece of the front left asterisk is broken off. Front of the box is a little misshapen warping on the design flow?
1. Form: The box is a simple design of 6 flat bark panels. On the lid, 2 diagonal lines of red quill section the center into a parallelogram shape. Three red lines are overlaid with white crisscrossing. In the center are 2 flowers, one the reverse image of the other. They each have a green stem and bulb, with leaves, topped with a 3-petaled pink flower. Scattered around these are short double lines of white quill. On the sides is a repeated star/asterisk formation, with white vertical quills and green horizontal quills. There are 4 of these on the front and back, and 2 on the sides. All edges of the box are wrapped in bands of sweet grass, bound by the black stitching which holds the box together. Along the top and front, an extra band of sweet grass forms a sort of tab and slot below, creating a clasp which holds the lid closed. The inside has a bark lining.
2. Material and Color:
Birch bark - medium-dark brown (R216 G168 B105) to (R212 G74 B0)
Sweet grass - faded yellow (R238 G219 B168) to (R220 G204 B157)
Cotton thread - Black
Quills - white, green (R108 G117, B32), red - varies: (R181 G38 B83) to (R135 G22 B61), pink (R208 G81 B153)
3. Construction: The bark panels were cut into shape, along with the lining and stitched together.
4. Decoration: Quillwork decorates the lid and sides; sweet grass is wrapped around all edges, held into place by the stitching.
5. Skill/Care: Simple, but neat and effective design.
6. Condition: Good. Light wear, label on bottom, one piece of the front left asterisk is broken off. Front of the box is a little misshapen warping on the design flow?
Dimension 1
7" W
Dimension 2
4.25" D
Dimension 3
2.5" H
Material
bark(birch) fiber(sweet grass) cotton quill(porcupine)
Construction
cut stitched
Decoration
quillwork wrapped(fiber)
Maker
Rose Williams
Condition
GOOD wear lbl warp? broken(pts miss)
Source
Ostrom, Elinor -bequest
Collector
Ostrom, Elinor and Vincent
Accession Number
MM249.096
Old Number
MM249.096 CAC#LS-08 OC#218
Type
artifact
Locale
Ten Mile Point
County
Manitoulin Island
State
Ontario
Country
Canada
Continent
North America
Comments Object History
Sold at Ten Mile Trading Post for $21.95 - sticker on the bottom; EO Office
Provenance
This item is from the collections of the Mathers Museum of World Cultures.