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.

This is a lidded birchbark box with porcupine quillwork.

Birch bark box and cover with red, brown, tan and white porcupine quill decorations depicting Native Americans in a canoe, birds, flowers, and leaves, as well as additional figures. White quill binds the edges.

PRIMITIVE ART. BOAS, FRANZ, 1951, Publisher: CAPITAL PUBLISHING COMPANY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ETHNOLOGY OF THE HAIDA [OF QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS]. SWANTON, JOHN R. MEMOIRS, 8, 1905 THE DECORATIVE ART OF THE INDIANS OF THE NORTH PACIFIC COAST. BOAS, FRANZ BULLETIN, 9, 1897

Dick S. Ramsay Fund

The backs of these mittens and the thumbs are quilled with red, light blue, white, and purple porcupine quills in a floral design. The main composition is symmetrically arranged around an equal-armed, eight pointed element on a quadrate layout. The effect is of a flowering plant bursting into blossoms toward the fingertips so that the design is oriented towards the wearer. Design elements consist of the double curve cross, the trefoil, tear drop shaped and heart shaped motifs. A smaller curvilinear floral and leaf is embroidered on the thumb. Clustered on a single stem, similar design elements appear in blue, red, white, and purple. The cuffs are made of dark blue Stroud cloth decorated at the border with beads and ribbon. From the upper third of the cuff, proceeding toward the fingers, the ornaments are arranged: a scalloped design of white beads, each point terminating in a trilobal design; then a field of red ribbon; followed by a simple line of single white beads; a narrow band of gold or dark yellow ribbon; and finally a border of two lines of white beads. Blue and white bird quills decorate the seams. See supplementary file in Arts of Americas office.

Robert B. Woodward Memorial Fund

This is a very special spoon that might be ceremonial but not for any specific ceremony.

Robert B. Woodward Memorial Fund