112/11/D6

Beaded Crown

Niagara-style "Princess Crown." Brown fabric with buff tape. Beaded central flower/star flanked by stems and leaves.

L2024.3.141

This Niagara-style beaded “princess crown” labeled “Central NH,” on the tag, was produced in large quantities as costume for the Degree of Pocahontas woman’s social organization. However, we also have photos of them worn by Wabanaki women as well. The main evidence for Native use is its condition. Every piece of Degree of Pocahontas costuming I have seen is in pristine condition, except when later used as Halloween costuming, which rapidly detaches the bead-work. This example shows continual, not episodic use wear consistent with years of careful use.

Headdress

Loom-beaded head band. The band is made of tiny glass beads woven into a design of feathers, chevrons, and Xs in purple, white, and black. The beaded strip is stitched onto a leather backing, which is stretched thin at either end to make ties.

2017.3.13

This was Abenaki chief Homer St. Francis' first head dress.

Headdress

a. Feathers attached to green felt cap with blue feather "wraps." White, blue, green, and red beaded browband. Red ribbon chin strap.
b. cotton bag

L2024.3.164a-b

This heavily worn headdress is a mix of well-done beadwork and naïve, culturally inappropriate details like the feather wraps and the crude felt side pendant drops. Later correspondence with the dealer indicated that it “came from a picker out of Raymond (on the shores of Sebago Lake), Maine.” This may be an example of period “Indian Enthusiast” art, perhaps from a children’s camp at the Lake. However, this item saw long sustained use and expedient (inexpert) repair that is generally not characteristic of enthusiast wear. There are records of Native people making and wearing native clothing during this period, and this is probably an example of that tradition. Local Native People also would don “Indian Clothes” for performance or selling crafts at tourist areas like Sebago Lake. It comes with its original cotton drawstring bag. This is the type of adult headdress that appears in 20th century “Blanket and Headdress” photographs of Western Abenaki Men (see 2024.3.154).

Headdress

Beaded, leather and turkey feather headdress. Band decorated with star/flower motifs in beadwork.

L2024.3.123

Feathers all broken replaced 2001. Headdress is a bit of a mystery. It was sold to Frederick Wiseman as “from an old Indian family” by a Western Maine antique dealer. Its style is unique, with beautiful tiny edge beading with coarse springperlen Bohemian beads making star designs. There is a chance that this was made by an “Indian hobbyist” in the 1910’s or 1920’s.