477

Chippewa Porcupine Quill Quillwork Box 1930-50s

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:75.00 USD Estimated At:250.00 - 500.00 USD
Chippewa Porcupine Quill Quillwork Box 1930-50s
Featured in this lot is this porcupine quill quillwork box from the Chippewa tribe circa. 1930s-1950s. The art of decorating items with porcupine quills is unique to North America. The Native peoples living in the Great Lakes area were doing quill work before the first European contact in 1615. Much sought after, this work was encouraged by French fur traders these Native American peoples-- mostly the Ottawa and Chippewa-- began to place quill decorations on birch bark boxes. In modern times quill work on birch bark boxes is well known and much sought after and highly prized Native American art. This box shows a birch wood construction with white porcupine quill quillwork that shows a quillwork maple leaf. The condition of this quilled basket is shows significant wear to the quillwork and the birch lid with fissures at two points in the lid. The measurements of this quillwork box is 2 3/4" x 3 1/4" x 3 1/4". The collective weight of this basket is U6oz.