This cradleboard is dark brown wood with metal tacks in a zigzag decoration across an area in the top. Rest of the cradle is missing. BArbara Hail Confirms it is Osage back cradle board.

Anonymous gift in memory of Dr. Harlow Brooks

The saddle is constructed as a heavy pad, enclosed within a durable covering of smoked skins. The skins were cut in an hourglass shape and then sewn together with sinew. The pad itself is stuffed with deer of buffalo hair or, possibly grass as a cushion. A large rectangular piece of Stroud cloth, now brown, has been attached across the center of the saddle. It is finished with two lobe-like shapes and edged with white beads. The seams of the pad are edged with multi-colored quillwork in yellow, light blue, lavender, orange, brown, black and white. Black cotton fringe has been attached to the two narrow ends of the saddle. On each of the longer sides are four elongated cloth tabs, red at the center, tan at the edges and beaded with small geometric forms and lines in white, blue and orange. The tabs are trimmed at the bottom with deer hair tufts and interspersed with a fringe of large black, blue and amber glass beads. A cloth rosette decorates each of the four corners of the pad, containing four interconnected lobes that are fashioned in red, blue and black silk and Stroud cloth and ornamented with beads. Below each rosette are appliquéd lozenge forms or pointed ovals, containing two small triangles placed back to back, also edged with white beads. The remnants of what might be stirrup leathers are concealed under the cloth. They are covered by a lighter, softer skin (deer?). The strap remnants seem to be recycled from some other object - - one side has a green, black and red painted design. Some native repair is evident. See Jarvis supplemental file Arts of Americas office.

Culin purchased this rattle from Saucy Calf who explained the symbolism to Francis La Flesche. It would have been used in what is now the Native American Church. The gourd is painted with a zigzag line of red paint that represents the crown of thorns. The handle is worked with beads that represent lightning, divided into two parts by a band in the middle. The lower part of this band represents earth and the upper the sky, illustrating man ascending into heaven. The metal attached to the handle reads, “Behold the heart of Jesus is with me."

Wooden bowl with schematic faces carved in relief on two vertical, stepped shaped, rim lugs, which are located opposite each other. The wood grain shows on the bowl along with some dark stains in the interior bottom. The brass is a Native repair. Wooden bowls with images generally were treasured and inherited, passed from generation to generation . Although the Delaware are often thought of as located in the eastern part of the North American continent after 1700 they are shown to have also migrated throughout Ohio and Indiana, as far north as Wisconsin, and south to Texas. Such bowls might have traveled with them. It is not known where Jarvis acquired this bowl.

This is a long, thin whistle with only one hole in the beak of a bird with metal tacks for eyes. The bird's head is carved at the end and painted blue-green on the outside and red on the inside. The nostril slits are also painted red. The stop is a piece of birch bark held in place with a sinew wrapping. Jarvis (the collector) original inscription reads, "Indian Flute Chippeway."

Brooklyn Museum Collection

Long belt with droppers on the end where it would be tied.

This is a dark blue wool cloth dress with three bands of ribbon trim, red and white, along the bottom hem and sleeves. Individual teeth are tied in a yoke pattern on the front and back of the dress. The dress has rows and circles of brass and tin sequins on the skirt. Purple, ribbed silk binds the neck. The bottom hem has geometric cut edge so that it dips lower on each side than the front and back, a reference to historical hide dresses where the legs of the animal would be kept and oriented to the sides of the dress.

The cherry bark is dye and black. The string is cotton.