Beaded Flat Purse
Haudenosaunee (Iroquois)
Beaded Flat Purse
c.1880
7 x 6 x 1
Gift of Edward J. Guarino
In honor of Lucy Giuliano
2007.31.6
“Through beadwork, I have been able to connect to my predecessors by taking what they have started and making it anew for my generation” Richard Hill, Sr. (Hill 1996, 37).
Haudenosaunee beads and embellishments historically were made using porcupine quills, bone, antler, and shells. Then Dutch settlers introduced glass beads and sewing needles. The Haudenosaunee readily adapted these, because their ease and iridescent quality corresponded to Haudenosaunee craftsmanship and beliefs (Harrison 1990, 2; Hill 1996, 39; Penney 1991, 55). The color combinations on the flat purse represent different values. For example, translucent and white beads represent the light, goodness, life, peace, and clear thinking. Light blue represents the daytime sky and daylight, while dark blue and black recognize the sea world. Lastly, the red represents fire, the sun, and the light within people (Hill 1996, 40; Hamell 1982, 5-6). Flat purses are the most common type of Haudenosaunee beadwork, and this purse has typical color combinations. However, differences in the design on the two sides, and the single-beaded border around the flap distinguish this purse (Elliot 2002, 20,22).
Beads and beaded goods were an important exchange medium for the Haudenosaunee (Hill 1996, 36; Harrison 1990, 2). By the 1880s, non-Native tourists purchased Haudenosaunee beadwork in places like Niagara Falls where according to one guidebook, “the greatest market for splendid Indian work in every variety” could be found (Quoted in Hill 1996, 36). Beadwork became more ornate and new forms such as the pincushion began to appear in order to attract more buyers (Hill 1996, 54). Therefore, many designs combine pre-European curvilinear elements and floral designs popular with the tourists (Harrison 1990, 3; Hill 1996, 54). Women especially valued the artistry found in beadwork, as the bright colors and elaborate decorations appealed to Victorian sensibilities.
Victoria Earllene Weiß