Reproduction Sampler Kits and Graphs New Items 17th Century 18th Century American 18th Century English 19th Century American 19th Century English Continental Quaker Scottish Miniature Pocket Books TSL Orignal Designs Beginner Intermediate Advanced Very Advanced I am sorry that I’m not able to ship overseas at this time, but many of my stockists are able…

In New York City, Trinity Church is organizing a theological conference scheduled for January 2016 that will examine "racial issues of our time, including structural racism, mass incarceration, and policy change." In preparation for the conference, Trinity is producing a video examining its relationship with slavery and the slave trade during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.

In preparation for making your Simplicity 8162 18th c. stays, you may wish to re-draw the boning pattern. The pattern comes with an accurate layout for half-boned stays. If you would like to deviate from this, perhaps to add more support or change to a fully

HANDBOOK OF 17TH, 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY AMERICAN PAINTERS By T. B. Berea Published by Dalewood Enterprises. Copyright, 1971. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This book measures approximately 5 1/4 inches wide by 8 inches tall. It includes 86 pages. It is bound in tan softcover with black lettering on the front cover. The binding has some light creases but is otherwise in fine condition. Sturdy binding and clean pages. Full of hundreds of US painters' names, dates, and specialties, this booklet would be perfect for art historians.

A short history of silversmithing, including 17th, 18th, and 19th century silversmithing and native American silversmithing history.

We have released over a million images onto Flickr Commons for anyone to use, remix and repurpose. These images were taken from the pages of 17th, 18th and 19th century books digitised by Microsoft who then generously gifted the scanned images to us, allowing us to release them back into...

Item: SCTL-119 Type: Cross Stitch Patterns Designer: Scarlet Letter Note from the designer: "The figures depicted on this original design were derived from wood block engravings of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. The format of the hornbook follows actual examples from the late 18th century. Hornbooks functioned as primers, used to teach young children their letters. Defined, very basically, by Dr. Johnson, hornbooks were "the first book of children, covered with horn to keep it unsoiled." Executed entirely in tent, or cross stitch, the piece can be stitched over one or two threads of linen." br> Finished size on 35 Count linen is 12 1/2" x 6 1/4". Rated beginning.

Shop historic notions including pewter, brass, and silver buttons, hooks, latches, lace, tape & so much more at Wm. Booth, Draper.

The Pennsylvania Dutch are a group of Americans of German ancestry who came to the US in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries to escape religious and political persecution.

The American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Dressmaking: How to Hand Sew Georgian Gowns and Wear Them With Style. Do you dream of time traveling to the court of Versailles or the Scottish Highlands? Whatever shall you wear? This comprehensive guide to historically accurate 18th century sewing will walk you through how to make and wear your Georgian dream gown and all the fabulous accessories too. Full of historically accurate dressmaking techniques, Lauren and Abby teach you how to make four of the most iconic 18th century silhouettes?the English Gown, Sacque Gown, Italian Gown and Round Gown?using the same hand sewing techniques done by mantua-makers and milliners of the past. From panniers to split bums, wool petticoats to grand silk gowns, ruffled aprons to big fluffy caps, The American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Dressmaking has project patterns and instructions for every level of 18th century sewing enthusiast. With Lauren and Abby?s guidance, accurate 18th century costuming is demystified, making this beautiful period of dress accessible to historic costumers and cosplayers alike. The American Duchess Guide includes... 40 18th century sewing projects with how-to, step-by-step instructions and photos. Gridded patterns and diagrams for accessories, gown linings, and construction notes. Detailed instructions and photos for fitting your gown. Step-by-step instructions for how to get dressed and style your ensemble. Essential research notes on gown styles, textiles, and more. Illustrated guides to historic stitches used as well as troubleshooting fitment and silhouette. Paperback: 240 pages Publisher: Page Street Publishing (November 21, 2017) Language: English ISBN-10: 1624144535 ISBN-13: 978-1624144530 Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.6 x 9 inches Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds

One of my favourite things about 18th century fashions are the fabrics, the colours and the prints. There’s a lot of lovely prints in this era, but one of the most common one is a simple stri…

Ribbon Skirts in Haudenosaunee Country There has been an incredible resurgence of Indigenous clothing styles happening all across turtle island. Beaded medallions are worn for everyday occasions, native designers are producing wonderful clothing lines, and the amount of sweet Native T-shirts available is just so satisfying. One article of clothing which has gotten much attention lately is the "Ribbon Skirt". All across Indian Country, the ribbon skirt has become the garment of choice for formal occasions public and private. The designs are myriad but the essential use of colorful ribbon borders and cloth foundations are the standard. More than a few people have asked me about the historic nature of the garment and whether or not it could be considered "traditional" to Haudenosaunee people. I hope that this post can help folks understand a bit about tradition and also about clothing history too. Tradition is simply something that happens twice in a row usually. Native folks create new traditions all the time, and what was once traditional could be considered old fashioned and out of date tomorrow. I am reminded of the era where the western "war bonnet" was so commonly seen in Haudenosaunee country. For a time, it was traditional headwear but that changed slowly and now the ash splint gustoweh is considered the traditional headdress - but even today, folks are looking into older styles and customs and bringing them forward like the porcupine quilled headdresses that are sometimes seen around. Things change and old becomes new and what was new becomes old. To address the question of the women's ribbon skirt we should know a few things first. One, is that, modern cloth and ribbons are materials that were available only after Native people demanded them in the colonial period. But for Haudenosaunee people, that sort of commerce began a LONG time ago. By the mid 1600's, European goods were well known and commonly found in every Haudenosaunee community. Think about that for a second. That's a 350 year old traditional use of European cloth. I'd say that is a pretty strong tradition. Cloth in all it's forms made up slightly more than half of the European goods incorporated into indigenous households during this colonial period. Here is a chart (stolen directly from "To Do Justice To Him and Myself" by Kees-Jan Waterman - worth picking up a copy...) identifying the percentage of trade goods that went out from a prominent Albany traders family. From this cloth could be made: shirts, leggings, breech cloths, wearing blankets (matchcoats), hoods, mittens and yes. Skirts. Wrap skirts to be specific. These are simple garments made from a single length of cloth (wool most often) and decorated with silk ribbon in broad stacks of primary colors. Sometimes simple beaded edges or beaded decorations inside the ribbon trim were done. They were usually made to wrap around the hips with an overlap to one side of the dominant leg. This is the origins of the classic Haudenosaunee women's skirt. Later, it becomes heavily beaded in beautiful lace beadwork designs. We can see that sort of skirt appearing in the mid 19th century. Here is an example form the NYS Museum that Caroline Parker-Mt Pleasant made during this period. But what did the early examples from the 1700's look like? It's unfortunate that scant few extant examples exist. We get most of the information about what they looked like from descriptions, ledgers of available fabric and ribbon, and historic images of women from this era. I am going to post a few images that show skirts of this era to give an idea of the variety but also of the cut and color pallet that these women preferred. This first image is of Saint Kateri Tekawitha believed to be painted by Father Chauchetiere in the late 17th century. It still hangs in Kahnawake since that time. Her clothing is typical of the late 17th century. Her "dress" is actually a patterned cloth shirt worn outside as a tunic. Patterned shirts were strictly a Native preference and traders complied with their tastes whenever they saw the change. Her skirt is a simple wrap skirt with subtle ribbon trim and matching side seam leggings. The next image is an engraving from La Potherie (1722) of Haudenosaunee women dancing. I've seen some of these moves on some women today! The clothing is much the same as the 17th century. Simple wrap skirts trimmed in ribbon or woven tape, loose shirts but with the possible addition of an over coat like garment called a cassique/mantlet/bedgown. Take notice of the women's hairstyles. They are parted down in the middle, with a single gathered and folded braid in the back. These "clubs" of hair are then wrapped in ribbon, or cloth or even shiny tanned eel skins. Sometimes these hair clubs were covered in wampum. Here is an image of two such wampum hair wraps. The next image is from the studio of Benjamin West, an American-born artist who became known for his images of Native people while in England later in his life. This example shows a wonderful detail of women's clothing of the mid 18th century. The woman wears a cloth shirt (a bit unusual to be sleeveless but maybe cut down for summer use) with one arm out of its sleeve for nursing. Her skirt is a great example of ribbon or tape decorations. The white zigzag decorations are probably round glass "seed" beads sewn down one at a time which we see in other examples of clothing from this era. Her side-seam leggings are scalloped and trimmed out in ribbon like her skirt. Her moccasins are worn with the flap up and the leggings tucked inside. When wearing moccasins outdoors this prevents small pebbles or even ticks from getting inside your clothing. This next image is an anonymous image from the 18th century. By the style and by the "hand" my best guess is that it was done by James Peachey, a artist working in the late 18th century with Native peoples being a favorite subject. It clearly shows a woman wearing a wrap skirt trimmed in ribbon or woven tape with small silver ring brooches in a simple horizontal pattern. Her wearing blanket (Matchcoat) is also trimmed in rows of ribbon as are her red wool leggings. This next image is a detail from Thomas Davies painting of Fort La Galette on the St Lawrence River. You can see the Haudenosaunee woman wearing her blue wool skirt decorated in rows of yellow ribbon. She might be wearing buckskin leggings or possibly they are yellow wool like her wearing blanket. These next two images are of Wendat/Wyandot people from the last quarter of the 18th century. Both women are wearing simple wrap skirts. Incidentally, the women are likely selling fingerwoven sashes which are held draped over their arms. Street vendors would walk around city centers or waterfronts selling their wares. Native women were known to sell herbs, moccasins, baskets and sashes in this method around Montreal during this period. It is important to look at historic references to add some detail to what we might be looking at in the painted or drawn images. "The dress which particularly distinguishes the women is a petticoat or strowd, blue, red or black, made of a piece of cloth about two yards long, adorned with red, blue or yellow bands laid double and bound about the body." History of the Northern American Indians by David Zeisberger 1779-1780 among the Delaware and Mingo (Ohio Valley Seneca) "...they wear a skirt of deerskin or cloth instead of a loincloth. This goes around the body, and is doubled over a belt or cord around the hips. This skirt, called a "matchicote", reached only to the knees, and often has ribbons for decoration or ornaments around the bottom, as well as porcupine quills and little bells." Travels in New France by J.C. Bonnin 1751-1761 "the women wear an under petticoat called machicote, made of an ell of blue or red cloth of the quality like that of Berri or Carcassonne. The lower edge is ornamented with several strips of yellow, blue and red ribbon or English edge lace. This arrangement resembles a couriers frock. It is fastened around the waist by a strap. The shirt passes over and cover this." Memoir upon the Late War in North America 1755-60 by Pierre Pouchot We can also look at dolls of this time period. This is a wonderful doll from Cambridge showing a few details that are of importance. She is wearing the ubiquitous wrap skirt trimmed in woven tape and some simple beadwork. Also take notice of her beaded garters and a curious beaded cuff. It turns out the other cuff was removed and tucked into her beaded belt behind her back. These cuffs seem to be associated with both men and women. Father Lafitau in the 17th century illustrates and describes their use. "1&2, Figures of the Indians of the Iroquois and Huron Tribes clothed in modern style, man and woman...8, Bracelet of wampum worked in little cylinders" You can see clearly the woman and the man wearing these wampum bracelets. For an incomplete but relevant survey of these wampum and imitation glass wampum cuffs see, "Wampum Held by the Oneida Indian Nation, Inc. of New York: Research Relating to Wampum Cuffs and Belts" by Marshall Becker. Take notice of the small illustration numbered "8" which shows the cuff/bracelet clearly as an object. Here is an example of the wampum cuff at the Peabody Museum Harvard. To get back on track, here is a doll from the Wendat/Wyandot (Huron) people dated to the last quarter of the 18th century. She is wearing a wonderful printed cloth shirt with copious imitation glass wampum strands as a necklace and as earrings. Her skirt is trimmed in green wool woven ribbon/tape. My hope is that this is posting is a basic tutorial for women's dress of the colonial period but mostly to demonstrate the use of ribbon skirts among the Haudenosaunee. I am in no way any sort of cultural "police" who says what is traditional or not. I am just helping define the style, color and fit of this garment for this time period and hopefully informing folks about a tradition that was once the most common among their ancestors. I also want to suggest that these old style skirts ARE the actual ancestors of the modern ribbon skirt. Have fun and enjoy life as the Creator intended. Michael

These are some of the places in America you should see before you die.

John Brewster Jr. was one of the preeminent portrait artists of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

A military history of the 17th century and the 18th century

In this blog posting we will examine some of the variations in historic 18th and 19th century Iroquois regalia through old paintings, photographs and examples of early material culture. Since first contact with Europeans, artists have depicted the Haudenosaunee wearing diverse attire; the images below are by no means a complete visual record of those that exist but should suffice in this brief review. The dictionary defines “traditional” as “existing in or as part of a tradition; long established, customary, time-honored, classic, accustomed, etc.” Today, what is generally considered “traditional” Haudenosaunee regalia can trace its origins to early examples from the 18th century, culminating with the work of Caroline Parker in the mid-19th century (figures 1 & 2). Fig 1 – Circa 1850 daguerreotype of Caroline Parker, a Seneca from the Tonawanda Reservation in western New York. Private collection. Fig 2 – Circa 1850 daguerreotype of Caroline Parker, a Seneca from the Tonawanda Reservation in western New York. Private collection. Caroline’s outfit has had a major influence on the design of Seneca regalia and it has also been adopted by other Six Nation peoples; it came about from a synthesis of European and Haudenosaunee attire. Deborah Holler, in writing about Caroline’s outfit, said “The navy blue skirt, with the striking ‘celestial tree’ design in the corner and luminous beaded border, incorporates the bold color aesthetic of the Iroquois in design motifs that are traditionally representative of the feminine forces associated with Skywoman, the first woman to inhabit earth in Iroquois culture. These two images of Caroline can be seen as a formal statement of cultural identity that became a prototype for the Seneca Women’s national costume. By incorporating the highest fashion styles of the times into a bold statement of Seneca womanhood, Caroline set a standard for fashion that has had lasting appeal for Haudenosaunee artisans. The combination of Victorian and Native elements shows her inventive adaptation of the Native aesthetic to European fashion goods, and is a demonstration of Caroline’s adaptability in both worlds” (Holler 2011:15-16) Some of the earliest depictions we have of American Indians are allegorical representations that served to symbolize concepts or ideas. That changed in 1710 when the Mohawks sent a delegation to England on a diplomatic audience with Queen Anne (figures 3 & 4). Fig 3 – Some of the earliest depictions we have of the Haudenosaunee are from a group of four paintings that were done by Jan Verelst, a Dutch artist working in London. This portrait of Tee Yee Neen Ho Ga Row (1660 – c. 1735) was made in 1710. He was a Mohawk chief who went to London to meet with Queen Anne and her court. Except for his belt, which is decorated with dyed moosehair in false embroidery, he is completely dressed in European style clothing, with buckled shoes, lace breeches and a fashionable coat. From the collection of the Library and Public Archives of Canada. Fig 4 – Portrait of Sa Ga Yeath Qua Pieth Tow, a Mohawk said to be the grandfather of Joseph Brant of Revolutionary War fame. It was painted by Jan Verelst in 1710 when Sa Ga Yeath Qua Pieth Tow visited London. His clothing is made primarily from European fabrics although he wears bullnose moccasins that were decorated with porcupine quills, a belt decorated with dyed moosehair in false embroidery and a leather pouch over that belt. He also has some great tattoos, although their meaning is unknown. From the collection of the Library and Public Archives of Canada. Attacks on British settlements by both the French and their Indian allies demonstrated to the Crown that they needed to maintain the loyalty of their Iroquois allies. Stephanie Pratt has written that “in the same way as Queen Anne’s ministers needed to establish an appropriate settlement with the Iroquois, so those [artists] who sought to represent them [in their work] needed to establish an appropriate mode of depiction” (Pratt 2005:36). In the case of the Mohawk chiefs illustrated in figures 3 & 4, who, except for a few personal accoutrements, were not in traditional regalia but rather are dressed in a combination of European and Native elements in a manner designed to suit European dress standards. Their handlers were provided with funds to ensure that the sachems’ had “the correct clothing to wear before Her Majesty” (Pratt 2005:163). What the artist Verelst attempted to show was how “the supposed gentlemanly and noble status of the Indian ‘Emperor’ might be constructed using portrait conventions. This nobility is entailed in their stately poses and the relationship of the figure to landscape, indicating ‘ownership’ in European terms” (Pratt 2005:52-53). We see this Europeanizing of Native people in portrait depictions throughout the 18th century. Fig 5 – Oil on canvass painting titled The Indian Family, by Benjamin West. 1761. From a private collection in England. The artist Benjamin West was in Italy in 1761 where he took on a commission to produce a painting for John Murray, a British aristocrat living in Venice (figure 5). Although scholars consider this image to be a generic piece, and the historical accuracy of his paintings is disputed by others, the cultural artifacts depicted are accurate representations of Northeast Woodland material from the period. Some of the items depicted are illustrated in another of West’s paintings, notably General Johnson Saving a Wounded French Officer from the Tomahawk of a North American Indian, in the Derby Museum and Art Gallery in Derby, United Kingdom where the male subject’s bag, the moosehair decorated knife sheath that hangs from his neck and his tomahawk, are identical. Although the items themselves are authentic, the fact that they appear in more than one of West’s paintings suggests that they did not necessarily belong to the subjects portrayed but were rather used by West as studio props for his paintings. The decorations along the bottom of the woman’s dress in figure 5, which were likely done in a combination of ribbon work and moosehair or porcupine quill embroidery, as well as the style of her dress, are an incipient form of what would later emerge as the “traditional” Haudenosaunee woman’s outfit. Like the mid-19th century portraits of Caroline Parker, the woman in this image wears decorated leggings, a blue overdress, skirt, blanket and decorated moccasins in a dress style that is very similar to Caroline Parker’s outfit. During the 18th century, American Indians were often depicted with a blanket draped over their shoulder. This practice likely originated with the use of bear, moose or deer skins robes long before the introduction of the European blanket. The adoption of ready-made, European trade goods was a practical consideration for Native people because these items offered a perceived advantage over traditional items. Fig 6 – Portrait of Joseph Brant, Thayendanegea, by George Romney, 1776 – the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Fig 7 – Portrait of Joseph Brant by Gilbert Stuart, 1786. From the collection of the Duke of Northumberland, London. Another Mohawk leader, Joseph Brant (figures 6 & 7) visited England in the late 18th century on two separate occasions, in part for securing the promise of restitution of Mohawk lands after the American Revolution. Like the Mohawks in figures 3 & 4, he is also depicted wearing a combination of European and Native elements. In figure 6, he is adorned in a pink shirt and what were likely wool breeches, in addition to his Native raiment. In describing the symbolism behind this portrait, Stephanie Pratt says that “Brant’s European garments combined with American Indian accoutrements… define his figure as a warrior, rather than a leading sachem. If he wanted to be seen as the latter, according to the colonial customs of the 1740s to 1760s, he would sport a tailored coat, and possibly lace collar and cuffs, in the manner of an English gentleman… [His outfit] in its combination of English and Woodlands elements, speaks of Brant’s own position between two worlds…. What distinguishes Romney’s picture is its cultural location within Mohawk attitudes to England. As with his predecessors in 1710, Brant’s figure combines items of European manufacture such as guns, hatchets, or pipes alongside the more American Indian accoutrements such as earrings and the headdresses, not as a costumier’s miscellany but as tokens of trade and good relations” (Pratt 2005:97-98). Native attire that combined trade items with Native made material made sense on the American frontier where dry goods were scarce but would have appeared exotic in England. Fig. 8 – A book engraving from 1774. The individual depicted could be an Iroquois as he is holding a wampum belt in his extended hand and his headdress appears to be an early version of the gustaweh. He is standing next to a large waterfall (possibly Niagara). Private collection. In another portrait of Brant (figure 7) he is similarly dressed in a combination of European and Native attire. Old images are also found in which individuals are wearing less formal (more traditional?) attire but the older symbolic and allegorical representations were never far from the surface (figure 8). In this book illustration the subject is holding a wampum belt in his extended hand and his plucked scalp and feather top knot of hair could be an early version of the gustaweh, an Iroquois man’s headdress. I’ve seen similar 18th century illustrations where the subject was identified as Iroquois. He is standing next to a large waterfall (possibly Niagara). His attire could be made from animal skins or it could be a European trade textile. Although the image may have been a fanciful depiction of an Iroquois warrior, it appears that the artist got some of the details right. He doesn't appear to be wearing leggings. Fig. 9 – 18th century leggings from the St. Lawrence Valley, possibly Iroquois. They are decorated with porcupine quills and moosehair on black dyed buckskin. Collection history unknown. Fig. 10 – 18th century Iroquois leggings on dyed deerskin, decorated with either porcupine quills or moosehair embroidery, trade beads and silk ribbon work. National Museum of the American Indian. Leggings have long been an integral part of traditional Iroquois regalia. Figure 9 is a pair of late 18th century leggings that are possibly Iroquois. Although they are simply decorated with porcupine quills and moosehair, they are an honest representation of a “traditional” clothing item from this period. In another pair of exceptionally decorated leggings we get a better look at some early “traditional” motifs (figure 10). Along the bottom of the leggings is the sinuous line representing the sky dome with the celestial tree above it and the earth tree below. The leggings are also decorated with extensive ribbon work and the square and diamond motifs appear to be done in either porcupine quills or moosehair. These geometric designs had deep cultural meaning as they are found on various items of early Iroquois material culture. Although not specifically part of someone’s regalia, other 18th century items that were made by Iroquois artisans, such as burden straps (figures 11 & 12), aptly demonstrate some of the bold and colorful geometric design motifs that were prevalent during this period. In an 18th century watercolor of a Mohawk woman and child, she is wearing a burden strap across her forehead that is holding her cradleboard (figure 13). She is dressed almost completely in European trade goods. The lower border of her dress appears to be decorated with silver brooches and silk ribbon appliqué. Fig. 11 – Four burden straps from the 18th century. (A) - Iroquois: from the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, Russia. (B) - Iroquois or Huron – Mid- to late 18th c. Made of hemp, dyed moosehair false embroidery and glass beads. (C) - Collected in the St. Lawrence River valley, c 1775, and possibly Iroquois. It’s edged with white imitation wampum. (D) - Iroquois, sometime before 1775. Colors are orange, blue, black and white. Dyed Moosehair in false embroidery. Fig. 12 – Three Iroquois burden straps . Circa 1780. Decorated with dyed moosehair in false embroidery. Most surviving burden straps are of Iroquois origin although they were also made by the Huron and neighboring Algonkians. Private collection. Fig. 13 – Mohawk woman with child – 18th century watercolor by an unknown artist. Her attire is almost completely made from European trade material. Collection history unknown. Another traditional item from the 18th century is the shoulder or bandoleer bag (figure 14). They seem to have been in vogue during that period and this tradition continued well into the 19th century. There are a number of examples of these in 19th century photographs (see my blog posting on these) but the example in figure 14 is earlier and is decorated with imitation or glass wampum beads. It’s another illustration of the use of geometric designs in pieces of material culture from this period. Fig. 14 – Iroquois shoulder bag – pre 1778 – a vogue for these bags, with fronts made of imitation glass wampum beads, existed at the end of the 18th century. The geometric designs they display resemble those on belts and ornaments made of shell wampum. From the collection of the Braunschweigisches Landesmuseum, Germany. In 1778, Thomas Davies painted a scene near Quebec of an Indian encampment (figure 15). It is filled with details of encampment life. It also gives us a glimpse into the mode of dress that many of the inhabitants wore. Many of the adults are attired in garments that were made from European textiles and most also have a blanket draped over their shoulders. Of particular interest are two of the women in figure 15a who are wearing a peaked cap, not unlike those the Wabanaki made. Fig. 15 – A watercolor over graphite illustration titled: A View near Point Levy Opposite Quebec with an Indian Encampment by Thomas Davies, 1788. From the collection of the National Gallery of Canada. Possibly Mohawks or Hurons from Lorette. Fig. 15a - detail view. Fig. 15b - detail view. In another painting by Tuscarora artist Denis Cusick that was executed in 1822, (figure 16), the seated woman is also wearing a peaked cap but this one appears to be decorated, possibly in beads. Fig. 16 – Tuscarora village, 1822. Watercolor signed “Dennis Cusick, son of the chief. Fecit.” Private collection. I am aware of at least one of these peaked caps/hoods that has survived (figure 17) and it does have similarities to the Wabanaki examples. These caps are quite rare but their appearance in both the Quebec painting and the one from Tuscarora suggests that they were made and used by more than one Haudenosaunee community and this was no doubt a piece of “traditional” attire during this period. Fig. 17 – Seneca headdress – late 18th early 19th century. From the collection of the American Museum of Natural History in NYC. The standing woman’s dress in figure 18 is also similar in style to the Caroline Parker example in figures 1 & 2, and the edge of the dress could be decorated with beadwork. Fig. 18 – Christening of the Tuscarora Asa Thompson – Watercolor attributed to Dennis Cusick, August 21, 1821. From the collection of the National Museum of the American Indian, Washington, DC. As we get into the early 19th century, we find a number of realist paintings, done by Iroquois artists that give us a glimpse into the “traditional” dress styles from the period. In a watercolor painting by Denis Cusick (figure 18) we see examples of both men’s and women’s dress styles from the early 1820s. The bottom edge of the woman’s dress, which appears to be decorated in silk ribbon work, might also be edged in beadwork. Unlike the man who is wearing pants, she appears to be wearing leggings and both wear moccasins. The man has a frock coat that is held closed by a hand-woven sash. In a more defined image from this period (figure 19) we can see a lot more detail in the men’s outfits. It’s hard to say from the image if their leggings are beaded or simply decorated in ribbon work but it may well be a combination of the two. Fig. 19 – An undated photograph of a now-lost watercolor of four Tuscarora men wearing sashes, perhaps by Thomas Jacobs. Early-to mid-19th century. Titled: “The Intains [sic]. Tuscarora tribe.” The National Museum of the Anthropological Archives of the Smithsonian Institution. In 1833, the young Laura M. Sheldon of Barnet, Vermont, married the Reverend Asher Wright, a preacher to the Seneca at the Buffalo Creek Reservation, and she devoted the rest of her life to the Christian well-being of the Iroquois. Very clever in devising ways to get them to listen to her moralizing and religious instructions, she would invite them to what we might now call a “tea meeting.” They were at the liberty to bring their needlework, which consisted in ornamenting their deerskin moccasins with porcupine quills, or their broadcloth skirts and leggings with beads, or perhaps fastening a quantity of silver brooches upon their short gowns or hats. While thus occupied, she read and explained the gospel truths in their own language, sang hymns with them, and frequently encouraged them to tell her some story of old times. The simple repast, which had really brought them there and held them through the afternoon, was then served, and they went away to think of the “good words” that had been spoken to them about the “new way” (Caswell 1892:65). Two Seneca ladies are depicted wearing an ample amount of silver broaches on their collars in a circa 1860 tintype (figure 20). Fig. 20 – Circa 1860 tintype of two Seneca women in their traditional dress. Their collars are decorated with silver brooches. Private collection. Fig. 20a - detail view Fig. 20b - detail view Fig. 20c - detail view Caroline Parker’s outfit in figures 1 and 2 is also decorated in silver brooches. Although none of the brooches depicted in these images are in the shape of a heart, many 18th and early 19th century Iroquois brooches were. The heart shaped brooch has been called the national badge of the Iroquois because of its popularity among them. It is found in both single and double forms, often surmounted by a crown. The design is thought to have come to North America from Scotland, where it was a popular love token and betrothal symbol. The “Luckenbooth” brooch, as it was known in Scotland, may have been introduced by British-trained silversmiths such as Robert Cruickshank or James Hanna. Another possibility is that the Indians requested the brooch after seeing it worn by Scottish traders and settlers (Fredrickson and Gibb 1980:53). The earliest heart-shaped brooches were manufactured in Europe as early as the seventeenth century. “They were mostly used as luck tokens, or betrothal gifts, and the choice of the heart shape … is sufficiently obvious (Parker 1910:354).” Many were later made by Iroquois silversmiths who found their inspiration in European models, and historically, the Iroquois continued fabricating them until at least the 1860s. Any brooch pinned to the garment of a child was regarded by the Scotch as an efficient charm against witches.…When the Iroquois silversmiths copied the Scotch patterns they left off many things that were common in the original patterns and interpreted the design as their own education, environment, or customs dictated … (Parker 1911:285). The use of silver brooches as charms to ward off evil spirits was an early component of many Native peoples’ traditional beliefs. Silver was a gift from the underworld with a natural luminosity – a quality much revered by native people. They believed that the luminosity, especially in ornaments of personal adornment, constituted a power that reflected or blocked evil spirits and radiated the good powers of the sun and moon in the Upper World. Reflective silver ornaments were placed at strategic locations on the body by adults and children, the living, and the dead. Luminosity represented knowledge and wisdom and gave life to inanimate objects. Iroquois ceremonial masks have reflective surfaces at the eyes to give them life and the Naskapi word for mirror translates as “see soul metal” (Hamilton 1995:49). About the same time that Caroline Parker was photographed in the famous daguerreotypes of her (figures 1 & 2), the artist Thomas Jacobs produced a watercolor illustration of three Iroquois women in traditional attire (figure 21). Fig. 21 – Three Iroquois women in colorful attire – Watercolor signed “Thomas Jacobs 1852.” Jacobs is a Seneca name, and it may also be a Tuscarora name. The women’s apparel is typical of mid-19th century formal dress, with silver brooches and beadwork decoration. Their outfits appear to be embellished almost exclusively with silver brooches. In another watercolor from the same period (figure 22) the women’s outfits are also decorated with silver brooches and additionally their leggings and dress appear to be beaded. One of the unusual features of their outfits are the scarves/shawls they are wearing. Some early 19th century observers mention these scarves but to the best of my knowledge, none exist in either museum or private collections. Fig. 22 – Watercolor of four Iroquois women, artist and date unknown. Looks to be from the mid-nineteenth century. Private collection. Caroline Parker’s mid-19th century outfit in figures 1 and 2 is clearly decorated with curvilinear designs and floral motifs. None of the other outfits in the early images we have examined in this posting, as well as others I have seen, are decorated this way. By the mid-19th century, floral beadwork replaced the abstract and geometrical designs that had been the accepted art form among Iroquois traditionalist for centuries. Why this happened may have its origins in Euro/American reasoning. In the early nineteenth century non-Native girls were schooled to be pious, chaste, submissive, patient, and adept at “every variety of needlework,” and to “have a special affinity for flowers” (Welter 1966:165). During the same period, the Haudenosaunee incorporated symbolic and representational floral imagery in their work and this development came about rather suddenly. Although scholars have demonstrated eloquently that flowers were related to Victorian ideals of womanhood (Phillips 1998), the sudden emergence of this type of ornamentation is a fundamental question that has yet to be fully explained. Ted Brasser also points out that there is only scant evidence that representational floral motifs, in Iroquois decorative arts, were in use prior to the Revolutionary War. Aboriginal decorative designs were originally abstract and geometrical, but a curvilinear art style became popular in the 1750s. This new art style was adopted by all native peoples around French Quebec, suggesting that it was inspired by some form of French art (Brasser 2009:71). Others have argued that the complex foliate designs arrived in North America with the French missionaries and fur traders and that they originate in European decorative arts, introduced, in the French convents, by the Ursuline nuns to their Indian students. The course of instruction that was taught to young women in Europe and America that Welter described above was no doubt adopted in the French convents as part of the curriculum for their Indian students. These decorative ideas were subsequently dispersed across the region as their Native students returned to their scattered homes through the northeast (Barbeau 1930). Perhaps, as a partial concession to ministerial educational programs, some Indian artists modified their traditional iconography and adopted the floral imagery. The inspiration may have been European floral designs, but Native aesthetics and cultural meaning were incorporated into the final works of art. Ruth Phillips has suggested that “the Western and Victorian association of flowers with ideal ‘feminine’ qualities of fragility, beauty, and godliness converged with traditional Haudenosaunee associations of plants and the crops cultivated by women with the sustenance of human life to create a shared visual artistic language” (Phillips 1998). Flowers and plants did have a place in Iroquois ceremonial life, although not necessarily in the forms depicted on clothing. The fact that floral designs were adopted for ceremonial clothing indicates that there had to be more to their use than mere imitation and commercial motives. They had become an accepted part of the art style, and a source of group identity (Harding 1994:26). In summary, many believed that the shimmering patterns, fashioned by the beads, attracted the spirits that inhabited the woodlands of the Northeast. Richly decorated clothing was, after all, intended to please benevolent spirits and to protect the wearer against harm from malevolent ones. Clothing styles and fashion accessories change over time; this is true in most cultures. The reasons for the change are varied and sometimes complex. Jennifer Neptune, a contemporary Penobscot artist, aptly points out that the floral motifs that appear in Northeast Woodland beadwork were meant to convey a message about the individual or group identity of those who created them. I see medicine plants in the designs, and it’s obvious to me that people were beading designs of plants that were highly valued to themselves, their families, and their tribe. When I look at the floral designs I see plants that ease childbirth, break fevers, soothe coughs and colds, take away pain, heal cuts, burns, and bruises, and maintain general health.… A hundred years ago plants were the main source of medicine for Natives as well as non-Natives. With the knowledge and importance of these plants in our culture beadworkers needed to look no further than their own backyards for their own floral designs. A hundred years later these same plants are still in our backyards, are still being used for healing, and are still being used to inspire our beadwork designs (Faulkner, Prince & Neptune 1998:41). If you have an interest in Northeast Woodland beadwork you might find my book of interest. Titled: A Cherished Curiosity: TheSouvenir Beaded Bag in Historic Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Art by GerryBiron. Published in 2012. This is a brand new, hard cover book with dust jacket. 184 pages and profusely illustrated. 8.5 x 11 inches. ISBN 978-0-9785414-1-5. Since the early nineteenth century, Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) beaded bags have been admired and cherished by travelers to Niagara Falls and other tourist destinations for their aesthetic beauty, detailed artistry, and the creative spirit of their makers. A long neglected and misunderstood area of American Indian artistry, "souvenir" art as it's come to be called, played a crucial role in the subsistence of many Indian families during the nineteenth century. This lavishly illustrated history examines these bags – the most extensively produced dress accessory made by the Haudenosaunee – along with the historical development of beadworking both as an art form and as a subsistence practice for Native women. In this book, the beadwork is considered in the context of art, fashion, and the tourist economy of the nineteenth century. Illustrated with over one hundred and fifty of the most important – and exquisite – examples of these bags, along with a unique collection of historical photographs of the bags in their original context, this book provides essential reading for collectors and researchers of this little understood area of American Indian art. REFERENCES CITED Barbeau, C. Marius 1930 “The Origin of Floral and Other Designs Among the Canadian and Neighboring Indians.” Proceedings of the Twenty-third International Congress of Americanists, held at New York, September 17 – 22, 1928. Nendeln/Leichenstein. (Krans reprint, NY 1968). Brasser, Ted J. 2009 Native American Clothing – An Illustrated History. Firefly Books, Ltd. Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. Caswell, Harriet S. 1892 Our Life Among the Iroquois Indians. Congregational Sunday-School and Publishing Society, Boston and Chicago. Faulkner, Gretchen Fearon, Prince, Nancy & Neptune, Jennifer Sapiel 1998 “Beautifully Beaded: Northeastern Native American Beadwork” in American Indian Art Magazine, Volume 24, Number 1, Winter edition. Fredrickson, N. Jaye and Gibb, Sandra 1980 The Covenant Chain – Indian Ceremonial and Trade Silver. A catalog to a travelling exhibition of the National Museum of Man. Published by the National Museum of Canada / Ottawa. Hamilton, Martha Wilson 1995 Silver in the Fur Trade 1689–1820. Published by the author. Privately printed. Harding, Deborah 1994 Bagging the Tourist Market: A Descriptive and Statistical Study of 19th Century Iroquois Beaded Bags. Unpublished Masters Thesis. Anthropology Department, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Holler, Deborah R. 2011 ‘The Remarkable Caroline G. Parker Mountpleasant, Seneca Wolf Clan.” Western New York Heritage, Volume 14, Number 1, Spring. Parker, Arthur C. 1910 “The Origin of Iroquois Silversmithing” in American Anthropologist, New Series, Vo. 12, No. 3, July-September. 1911 “Additional Notes on Iroquois Silversmithing” in American Anthropologist, New Series, Volume 13. Phillips, Ruth 1998 Trading Identities: The Souvenir in Native North American Art from the Northeast, 1700 – 1900. University of Washington Press, Seattle and London: McGill-Queen’s University Press, Montreal and Kingston. Pratt, Stephanie 2005 American Indians in British Art, 1700-1840. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. Welter, Barbara 1966 “The Cult of True Womanhood 1820–1860.” American Quarterly 18(2), pt.I:151–174.

A late 17th/early 18th fireplace dummy board of a charming little girl holding an apron full of cherries. This dummy board would originally have stood in a fire place during the warm summer months (which it still can be) but has been converted in the 19th century at the back, by the addition of a metal tray and wrought iron bar, into an umbrella stand and can therefore also be used in a hallway. The little girl is painted on a solid wood board and is very sturdy. We think the little girl is probably English but she could equally be Dutch. For comparative example see the dummy board in the Long Gallery at Chirk Castle, wrexham.

Girl in Orange Dress with Doll. Great folk art portrait with personality aplenty. You'll receive this image printed on 11 by 14 paper. Select Print only or Matted print at check out. Special Orders in different sizes available. Originally painted in 1840s, the portrait is charming. You can hang right up in a nursery or your studio for inspiration. I have others available in my shop right now: Boys with Drumsticks Girl in Red Dress with Her Brother Two Girls in Striped Dresses Infant in Pink Dress They would also make a special gift for a friend.

Here. My Italian is non existent so I am not that certain what's going on but it looks like a series of graphic novels on Deerfield and various other frontier adventures. Check them out and if you find out more then let me know! My Google translator says this (incidentally the Fort William Henry mentioned is a different one than the SYW one. DEERFIELD 1704 HOMEPAGE At Lucca Comics and Games 2011 Deerfield returns to 1704, with two new publications: PATH OF WAR and ATTACK AT FORT WILLIAM HENRY. The relentless struggle between opposing forces along the frontier of New England, in a story full of twists and battles. The Rangers of Colonel Church attacked the villages of the French settlers in Acadia to avenge the massacre of Deerfield. The Huron Wendat people chasing Agawam, Nashak and Mary Stuart. A new character enters the scene: Souhegan, a beautiful raven-haired girl Abenaki ... A vile deception by an English officer and the killing of the Sachem of the Eastern Abenaki tribes, provoked the attack of the French Navy at Fort William Henry and the Abenaki Indians to the English village of Pemaquid ... A true story in 1696, with a screenplay by Charles Bazan drawings and Lele Vianello. In November 2010 has revived the adventure with the first issue of the new series of Deerfield in 1704, WAR OF FRONTIER. The epic of the frontier, the French and Indian wars in the 700, the battles between the English and French, the Huron and Abenaki Indians of assaults on the outposts of the settlers, protected by the Colonial Militia. A fascinating story of war, massacres, love and revenge, with the lyrics and screenplay by Charles Bazan, watercolors and the comic pages of Lele Vianello, who worked for so many years of Hugo Pratt, awaits you in November in Lucca Comics booth space Corto Maltese, and in the best comics. To be informed of publications, initiatives and events, subscribe now to our newsletter or write to [email protected]

I have a house full of people here for The Wedding, so forgive me for being quite absent. It's all a bit mad here! So in honor of the Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge #21, and my light green wedding gown, here are some gorgeous 18th century