- Collection type
- Object
- Description
- Moccasin with quillwork decoration.
- Long description
- Moccasin with quillwork decoration. The moccasin has flaps around the ankle, with ties to secure them, and a band of wool textile sewn around the heel. The quillwork forms a patterned border and a looped decoration on the top of the foot of the moccasin.
- Geographical reference
- Date / Period
- Date made: Before 1827
- Date collected
- 1827
- Acquisition information
- Donated: 1997
- Materials and processes
- Material Animal Hide Skin, Material Porcupine Quill Animal, Material Felt Wool Textile Animal, Material Pigment, Process Stitched, Process Quillwork, Process Felted, Process Dyed
- Dimensions
- Length: max 230 mm, Width: max 145 mm
- Object numbers
- Accession number: 1997.19.27
- Research and responses
Archival research suggests that F. Griffin was Frances Griffin, sister of Jane Griffin who became Lady Franklin in 1828. Mrs Gilbert was Mary Ann Davies, wife of Davies Giddy Gilbert [President of the Royal Society] and aunt of Frances and Jane Griffin. A note in Jane Griffin's diary on 8 November 1827 states, 'Came up to town with Mary. Captain F had called in evening and written note begging acceptance of reindeer tongues and three pair of shoes made by native Indian women, for Mr. Griffin, Miss Jane, and Mrs Simpkinson, in token of his grateful remembrance of kindness.' [Scott Polar Research Institute ms 248/150]. The RDF for this moccasin indicates that it came in with other items purchased at the sale of Gawdy Hall in 1938; Gawdy Hall was the home of Sancroft Holmes, who married Hester Elizabeth Gilbert, daughter of Mrs Mary Ann Gilbert and a cousin of Jane and Frances Griffin. See more detailed notes in RDF. [Laura Peers, 28 May 2015]
S. Frere, donor, was former Professor of the Archaeology of the Roman World at the Institute of Archaeology, Oxford.
Laura Peers, former Curator of Americas at the Pitt Rivers Museum, questioned the Inuit provenance which had been attached to this object because of the word 'Eskimo' on the original label sewn to the moccasin. Franklin would have encountered many cultural groups on his journey; the most likely makers of the moccasin would have been Western Subarctic and possibly Métis women. The country previously stated USA? Canada? but the 1825-27 Franklin expedition never went into the USA, so this has been altered. [MJD 27/01/2015]
Information prepared by Laura Peers following a research visit on 18/11/2024 to view parts of the Frere collection, together with Bartle and Sarah Frere (children of Sheppard Sunderland Frere). See RDF for full copy of notes:
- Moccasin is sinew-sewn (sinew visible in seams at heel & interior heel; 1 cm tags of sinew left under navy stroud decoration around heel).
- Handwritten tag is crudely sewn with white commercial thread, in contrast to moccasin seams which are beautiful tiny stitches in sinew (so tag sewn by a different person than made moccasin).
- Delicacy of the design and construction: very small, fine quills, small adult foot
- Red outline border on vamp is over what looks to be larger porcupine quills. There is no centre seam from vamp to toe and puckers are very fine and very carefully and evenly arranged around vamp suggesting the maker knew what she was doing and was experienced.
- Embroidered design is worked in twisted single quill sewn with sinew.
- Comparison of Gilbert signature on tag matches Mary Ann Gilbert’s signature on archival documents at Cornwall Archives and East Sussex Record Office: here it says “MA Gilbert” which is how she normally signed herself.
- Moccasin was purchased at the Gawdy Hall sale in 1938 (RDF) by Agnes Barbara Frere, mother of Sheppard Sunderland Frere.
Search terms: Clothing Footgear, Shoe