Quill Box


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Native American
Native American - Northeast and Southeast Woodland ➔ Quill Box

Identifier:
203688
Description:

This oval, lidded birchbark box has white all-over quilling on the sides and edge of the lid. It is trimmed with sweetgrass and has a beaver in the center of the lid embroidered in undyed brown quills. The use of a portion of natural quills carefully selected to produce all brown or all white effects is evident here. It was made by a Chippewa maker in Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada, and was purchased by the donor in 1957. 

Date:
1957
Materials:
Birchbark, Thread, Porcupine Quill, Sweetgrass
Current Location Status:
In Storage
Collection Tier:
Tier 2
Source:
Gift of the Estate of Ruth Herrick
Exhibits/Programs:
Anishinabek: The People of this Place (1995 – 2025)

Anishinaabek: The Original People of This Place (after 2026)

Redesign of the Anishinabek: The People of this Place exhibit. Ideas for potential artifacts.


Related Entities:
Chippewa (creator)
Alternate names: Ojibway, Ojibwe, Saulteaux Estate of Dr. Ruth Herrick (donor)
Born on July 6, 1895 in Ohio, Ruth Herrick became known as one of the first women physicians in Michigan. She studied at the University of Chicago Medical College and at Blodgett Memorial Hospital. Afterwards she began her practice in 1931 in Grand Rapids. She was an avid collector and took a strong interest in archaeology, having lectured at the Greenfield Village Museum and wrote and published a book entitled "Greentown glass: the Indiana Tumbler and Goblet Company and allied manufacturers (1959)". In 1961 she cooperated with the Kent County Medical Society in compiling a historic medical collection. She retired in 1973 and later passed away after an automobile accident on June 7, 1974, with many of her assets bequeathed to the Public Museum.