Round basket with attached lid. Basket is made of strips of black ash wood, in a variety of broad weaves. Around centre of body are two strips of twisted bark that create a wooden curl. Both above and below are strips coloured light pink. Near base is a thin braid of green-coloured bark. Two handles sit opposite each other, circles of bark attached by a curl under the rim. Lid is connected to body by black thread, which also sews strips of bark together to create lid’s rim. Green braids are woven around edge, and bark curls attach a handle to centre of lid.

From card: "The basket carries a floral design on top and sides. Made by using white and yellow porcupine quills. Embroidered."It is possible that this object has the same provenance/was acquired in the same place as the small bark canoe E379948, as both artifacts are listed in the accession file and on their cards as Montagnais from Quebec. Written on E379948 in old handwriting: "Chicoutimi, Chateau Saguenay, made by Montagnais Indians"; there also appears to be a price marked of "25." Chicoutimi is a town name, which is now part of Saguenay, Quebec. Chateau Saguenay was the name of a tourist hotel, built in 1898. Per Adriana Greci Green, the style of manufacture of this box resembles Odawa/Anishinaabe or Ojibwa more than Montagnais.

From card: "In two pieces (once one specimen); one being upper portion with sleeves; other lower portion; the two pieces fit together perfectly, to make a coat of generalized Naskapi style made of seven pieces of skin sewn together (1 each arm; 1 center back; 1 left side; 1 rt. side; (2 small pieces inset to back). Predominantly decoration is simple painted design in bands of red and size marking. All the latter is linear; red mainly straight lines, some wavy and some solid triangles, at top; also red dots in neck border. Red flannel or strouding edging top of shoulder seams, and arm-body seams. There is no collar, and neck form like that of a poncho Plains Indian shirt. [Culture listed as Algonkian on catalogue card.] Catlin did not visit the Naskapi, if this was collected by him in the field it was obtained most likely in the Great Lakes area. Possibly Ojibwa or Cree - John C. Ewers, Jan. 15, 1948." Identified by Morgan Baillargeon, Canadian Museum of Civilization, 2009, as possibly Montagnais?

By exchange

Henry L. Batterman Fund and the Frank Sherman Benson Fund

By exchange

By exchange

This is a decorative box with lid that was probably made for the tourist trade. Birchbark has been sewn with traditional porcupine quillwork in a floral pattern.

The description of "ceremonial" may be a misnomer as this beaded on cotton bag has not been verified as having a ceremonial use. Beaded bags were often worn particularly by men for prestige and fashion.

These are two very finely made square-toed snowshoes. Red Stroud cloth was used under the edge of the webbing along the sides of the snowshoes. Red and black tufts of yarn decorate the edges. The webbing is painted red in the two end sections and black in the center.