Pouch
- Culture
- Wendat artist
- Date
- mid-19th century
- made in
- Canada, North and Central America
- Classification
- Jewelry & personal accessories, textiles
- Collection
- Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
- Current Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- 6 1/2 × 5 1/2 in. (16.5 × 14 cm)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Elizabeth B. and Robert Wells Streett
- Rights
- Public Domain
- Object Number
- 22:2022
NOTES
A billowing frame encloses bouquets of vivid flowers, buds, and leaves. Embroidered on black-tanned hide with moose hair, this pouch epitomizes the specialist work of artists from Wendake, a First Nations reserve near Quebec City.
Hair embroidery on hide is an ancient Indigenous practice in the Northeast. In the 18th century, however, colonial Ursuline nuns adapted this technique to convent wares that included botanical imagery. Wendat artists later incorporated novel floral imagery in their own work for sale such as this pouch.
Hair embroidery on hide is an ancient Indigenous practice in the Northeast. In the 18th century, however, colonial Ursuline nuns adapted this technique to convent wares that included botanical imagery. Wendat artists later incorporated novel floral imagery in their own work for sale such as this pouch.
Provenance
- still in 2006
William H. Guthman (1924–2005), Westport, CT; his family, by descent [1]
2006/10/12
In auction of "The William H. Guthman Collection Part II: Militaria and Americana" at Northeast Auctions, Portsmouth, NH, October 12, 2006, lot no. 857 [2]
Brant Mackley Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
Unidentified dealer
c. 2017–2019
George Brown, Toronto, Canada, purchased from an unidentified dealer [3]
2019 -2022
Elizabeth B. and Robert Wells Streett, St. Louis, MO, acquired from George Brown [4]
2022-
Saint Louis Art Museum, gift of Elizabeth B. and Robert Wells Streett [5]
Notes:
[1] See the auction catalog [“The William H. Guthman Collection Part II: Militaria and Americana.” Northeast Auctions, Portsmouth, NH, October 12, 2006, lot 857].
[2] See Note [1].
[3] In an email message to Alex Marr dated April 29, 2022, the art and book dealer George Brown wrote, “I bought it from a dealer at an antique show in Santa Fe NM several years ago. He in turn reported that he had purchased it from a dealer in Santa Fe NM called Brant Mackley Gallery . . . This would date back about 5 years.” [SLAM document files].
[4] The object tag from the Streett collection includes 19-03 inventory number; in the Streett collection, the first two digits of inventory numbers correspond to the year acquired, i.e., 19 stands for 2019. The tag includes the code GB. George Brown confirmed that Bob Streett obtained the pouch from him. See email message from George Brown dated April 29, 2022 [SLAM document files].
[5] Minutes of the Collections Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, May 2, 2022.
William H. Guthman (1924–2005), Westport, CT; his family, by descent [1]
2006/10/12
In auction of "The William H. Guthman Collection Part II: Militaria and Americana" at Northeast Auctions, Portsmouth, NH, October 12, 2006, lot no. 857 [2]
Brant Mackley Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
Unidentified dealer
c. 2017–2019
George Brown, Toronto, Canada, purchased from an unidentified dealer [3]
2019 -2022
Elizabeth B. and Robert Wells Streett, St. Louis, MO, acquired from George Brown [4]
2022-
Saint Louis Art Museum, gift of Elizabeth B. and Robert Wells Streett [5]
Notes:
[1] See the auction catalog [“The William H. Guthman Collection Part II: Militaria and Americana.” Northeast Auctions, Portsmouth, NH, October 12, 2006, lot 857].
[2] See Note [1].
[3] In an email message to Alex Marr dated April 29, 2022, the art and book dealer George Brown wrote, “I bought it from a dealer at an antique show in Santa Fe NM several years ago. He in turn reported that he had purchased it from a dealer in Santa Fe NM called Brant Mackley Gallery . . . This would date back about 5 years.” [SLAM document files].
[4] The object tag from the Streett collection includes 19-03 inventory number; in the Streett collection, the first two digits of inventory numbers correspond to the year acquired, i.e., 19 stands for 2019. The tag includes the code GB. George Brown confirmed that Bob Streett obtained the pouch from him. See email message from George Brown dated April 29, 2022 [SLAM document files].
[5] Minutes of the Collections Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, May 2, 2022.
We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.