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1954.9.17

Finger-woven belt with inwoven lozenge pattern of large white beads; short twisted fringe.

1954.9.17

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Collection type
Object
Description
Finger-woven belt with inwoven lozenge pattern of large white beads; short twisted fringe.
Cultural groups
Osage
Person
Field collector Unknown Collector
PRM source Irene Marguerite Beasley
Date / Period
Date made: Before 1932
Date collected
By 1932
Acquisition information
Donated: 1954
Materials and processes
Material Animal Hair, Material Bead, Material Bison Cattle Hair Textile Animal, Process Finger Woven, Process Beadwork, Process Twisted, Process Braided, Material Bison Cattle Hair Yarn Animal
Dimensions
Length: max 1370 mm, Width: max 51 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 1954.9.17 Other numbers: Beasley No. 7.4.32.
Research and responses

This object was studied by Carol James, sash weaver, on 15 October 2013. She noted that this textile is interlacing fingerwoven. The cloth has an unusual element in the centre. Carol thinks that this cloth was woven in a round. This cloth may be an example of sprang where two rows are made for every one woven. The vertical line of beads on the borders looks separate. The beads in diamonds look woven in. [MJD 17/10/2013]

Related Documents File - This object was seen by James O'Neil II in 1997, his notes about this object (and similar ones) can be found in the Related Documents File. (Can be found in the RDF file for 1886.1.844) "I have included a photocopy (page 8) of this belt as I cannot find the collections data you gave me and I would appreciate it if you could recopy it and send it to me. We were able to find two straps quite similar to this one. The first was in the British Museum (page 9), sorry, we do not have the number. As you can see this strap has a similar design and has a similar joint in the middle." [AB [OPS move] 5/11/2018]

Associated publications
The garters and sash worn by the Osage warrior in the colour illustration plate F figure 1 on page 38 of The American Civil War in the Indian Territory by John D Spencer (Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2006) are based on the 1954.9.17 and 1954.9.19, although the artist Adam Hook has altered them slightly. Both were examined in June 2006 during a research visit by Spencer and confirmed as the basis for the artwork in a letter dated 29 August 2006. [see related documents file for the letter from Spencer.] [ZM 11/09/2006]

Search terms: Clothing, Ornament, Belt, Waist Ornament

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