2017.103.17

Collection type

Object

Description

Horned fur headdress of Plains Indian type. [JMC 29/11/2018]

Long description

Horned fur headdress of Plains Indian type. The main component of the headdress is a helmet of dark reddish black animal fur which expands down the back of the neck. The four legs hang down at the sides while at the back a long tail of black fur descends, with a metal bell attached to the end. At the front are two further lengths or tails of white fur, covered in red textile and yellow cotton thread at the top, each terminating in a tuft of white and black hair. Two curved horns extend from a white tuft of fur on either side of the headdress. These each have one red and one yellow feather and two metal bells tied to the end, while the right horn also has a white and brown eagle feather tied to it. There is a red feather under each of the white tufts of fur. There are three further eagle feathers attached to various points of the headdress. The inside of the helmet is lined with a cap of soft black suede, while the expansion at the back of the neck is lined with red textile. There is a beaded band of leather at the front of the cap, decorated with a triangular pattern of white, red, yellow, light blue and dark blue beads. Hanging from the front of the headdress is a short leather strip terminating in a deer hoof with serrated edges. The top of the headdress is decorated with a long and thin strip of leather strung with white, red, yellow and blue tubular ceramic or glass beads. This runs from the front to the back and terminates in one red feather and one eagle feather. [JMC 29/11/2018]

Geographical reference

Canada

Northern America > North America > Canada

United States of America

Northern America > North America > United States of America

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Europe > Northern Europe > United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Cultural groups

Plains

Person

Field collector Raymond Wilkes

PRM source David Wilkes

Date

Acquisition information

Donated: 30/08/2016

Materials and processes

Material Animal Fur Skin, Material Bird Feather, Material Animal Horn, Material Animal Hoof, Material Metal, Material Animal Leather Skin, Material Bead, Process Stitched, Process Tied, Process Strung

Dimensions

Height: max 170 mm, Width: max 470 mm approx, Length: max 650 mm approx

Object numbers

Accession number: 2017.103.17 Other numbers: 71

Research and responses

This headdress is part of a collection put together by English Hobbyist Raymond Wilkes. The collection combines English, European or North American-made hobbyist material, some objects made by Wilkes himself, and some Native American-made objects. It is not clear whether the headdress is hobbyist- or Native American- made. [JMC 20/2/2019]

Search terms: Clothing, Ornament, Headdress, Headgear, Head Ornament