« Four birch bark containers, all from the Chicoutimi band which utilized territory to the east of the Lake St. John Band, are described as eating dishes. Each is made from a single piece of bark and has sides that slope outward to an oval or round rim. The rims of all four dishes are separate pieces of wood, probably birch, secured, in three cases, to the tops of the containers with spruce or larch root which was also used to stitch the corners. At intervals on the rim of one of these dishes, four pieces of red cloth, approximately 9 cm in length, have been woven into the root lashing as decoration (fig. 6). The rim of the fourth vessel is tied on with twine and this specimen has been extensively repaired with both twine and roots. One dish has heart-shaped etched designs on all four sides (fig. 7), a decorative technique that will be discussed in more detail when covered baskets are described. The four vessels range in height from 12 to 20 cm, and in diameter from 36 cm to approximately 49 cm. » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), Vanstone p.8, fig 6 (p.34), 7 (p.35). « A characteristic feature of these baskets is the presence of etched designs on tops and sides. The primary method of producing this ornamentation is by laying cut-out birch bark design patterns on the surface and scraping away the dark inner bark everywhere except where the design has been traced with the point of a knife. The positive design thus stands out dark against a light background (Speck, 1937, p. 71). » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), Vanstone p.9.

« Four birch bark containers, all from the Chicoutimi band which utilized territory to the east of the Lake St. John Band, are described as eating dishes. Each is made from a single piece of bark and has sides that slope outward to an oval or round rim. The rims of all four dishes are separate pieces of wood, probably birch, secured, in three cases, to the tops of the containers with spruce or larch root which was also used to stitch the corners. At intervals on the rim of one of these dishes, four pieces of red cloth, approximately 9 cm in length, have been woven into the root lashing as decoration (fig. 6). The rim of the fourth vessel is tied on with twine and this specimen has been extensively repaired with both twine and roots. One dish has heart-shaped etched designs on all four sides (fig. 7), a decorative technique that will be discussed in more detail when covered baskets are described. The four vessels range in height from 12 to 20 cm, and in diameter from 36 cm to approximately 49 cm. » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), Vanstone p.8, fig 6 (p.34), 7 (p.35).

Burden basket. Rectangular with three separated rows of animal designs covering all four sides. The figures are reddish-brown bark, with a lighter (yellowish) grass as background. The upper outside edge is reinforced with a rectangular loop of thick metal (telegraph) wire, held on with hide and fibre loops. The inside base is reinforced with a rectangular loop of root, bent at three corners.

Birch bark basket. Basket is made from white bark on exterior, with a rectangular base from which sides flare widely upwards toward rim. Interior is made of a sheet of brown bark, which also covers the upper exterior sides. Rim is made of a thin branch, pink in colour, attached to the basket by bark wrappings. Corners of the basket are slit and stitched into place with willow thongs.

Museum Purchase: Indian Collection Subscription Fund, Rasmussen Collection of Northwest Coast Indian Art.

Birch bark box with lid. Box is constructed of a single piece of bark bent and cut to create a base and walls that have been stitched together with thin strips of bark on the short sides. A squared branch of wood is strapped to the top by bark to form a lip. The exterior is embossed with images of moose, trees, and hunters walking and in boats, with a large scalloped pattern decorating the rim, base flaps, and bottom portion on one long side. A thin handle made of a thong of leather is attached to the basket around the side stitching. The lid (part b) is constructed of two pieces of bark- the top and the inset rim, which are connected by bark stitching and glue. Similar images to those on the box decorate the lid. A decorative 'X' is stitched with bark into the centre. The interior of the box and underside of the lid are undecorated.

Birch bark basket with handle. Basket is constructed of a single piece of bark bent and cut to create walls that have been stitched together with thin strips of bark up both short sides. A thin reed of wood is strapped to the top by bark to form a lip. The exterior is embossed with cross shapes and swirls on the ends, and a large tree-like motif at centre on both sides. Scallops line the lip. The interior is undecorated. A wide handle of yellow-brown canvas is attached to the basket by thongs of leather, held together at centre by a twist of wire and tied on the interior. The strap's length can be modified by use of a metal loop.

Basket lid made of a slightly rounded, rectangular piece of birch bark. The top is densely covered in quills set in geometric patterns of primarily traingles with partial circles and diamonds, dyed in shades of brown with some remnants of green. Thin strips of bark are looped around the edges of the piece, holding in place long quills that create a decorative edging. The underside is undecorated.

Round quill-covered basket with lid. Basket and lid are made of birch bark, with side walls cut and bent to snuggly fit the circular base/top, covered on the exterior with designs made from quills dyed blue and yellow, along with undyed white. The central design on the lid top is a 10-point star in blue with yellow centre and accents. It is surrounded by triangles of white quill inside a yellow circle, and a repeating series of gathered quill groupings around the edge, with yellow and blue stars shapes above and below the star. This is repeated in larger size along the sides of the lid, as well as the lower wall of the basket bottom (part a). Base has an undecorated, inset rim to hold the lid. quill-covered basket with lid. Basket and lid are made of birch bark, with side walls cut and bent to snuggly fit the circular base/top, covered on the exterior with designs made from quills dyed blue and yellow, along with undyed white. The central design on the lid top is a 10-point star in blue with yellow centre and accents. It is surrounded by triangles of white quill inside a yellow circle, and a repeating series of gathered quill groupings around the edge, with yellow and blue stars shapes above and below the star. This is repeated in larger size along the sides of the lid, as well as the lower wall of the basket bottom (part a). Base has an undecorated, inset rim to hold the lid.

Oblong bentwood box with lid. Small box (part a) is made of a single piece of bark curved into a long rounded shape, around a wooden base, with edges connected by stitchings of leather. Several small nails attach the bark to the base. Bottom interior has remnants of paper that had been glued to it. Exterior shows very faded black and red linear designs and swirls across the surface. Lid (part b) is of similar shape and construction with adhesive attaching the bark to the wooden top. Design is a black dotted line around red and black leaf shapes and triangles.