Featured White Leather Gauntlets Beaded Flowers

Hi all,
Trying to determine where these might be from or age. From the lining I would think home-made, maybe 1910s-20s? These belonged to the grandmother of a friend of mine - he isn't sure when she was born but his mom was born in 1913. He thinks they are maybe from Whitehorse, but has no idea why he thinks that, they lived there for a time then went to Prince Rupert. Her name at one time was stitched on the back, only holes left there now.
any information appreciated
thanks for looking

 

beaded buckskin , most likely NA...maybe Athabaskan ...
I can't date them , only to add that the machine sewing looks more like 50's or 60's...

 

Buckskin makes sense, thank-you komokwa Did they sell gauntlets as souvenir items? You could be right on the time, I'm just guessing.

 

yes...a thriving industry !!!
but to get your name on them , these could have been bought from the artist...or in the community.....at a pow wow perhaps !!!

 

thanks again komokwa that is interesting about the name, I wonder now where she got them, guess that is something we'll never know. I'm trying to convince my friend he should keep them, put them in a nice frame and pass them on to one his kids, but so far it is a nope, not interested

 

Love them. They look like elkskin to me, white as opposed to more golden deerskin.

 

LOVELY gloves cxgirl, they look like the Alberta rose that is beaded on many Cree nation items, I saw it a lot when I worked at the Native Friendship Center .. Athabascan would be right on as Komo said .. ... Joy.

 

A real shame that the owner feels no sentimental value for such a lovely pair of gloves!

 

Oh, they are beautiful!

 

Very nice cxgirl.

 

I agree with the probable Athabaskan identification - interior western Canada.

Elk would be a good choice for hard wearing gloves, but the color has more to do with whether the hide was smoked or not during the tanning process. Smoking involved making a tent of the hide over a small smudgy fire. It increases the hide's water resistance by introducing tannins from the wood, and different colors could be achieved by using different types of wood. The thickness of the hide would be a good guide to the species used - moose, buffalo and cow being thicker than elk, which is thicker than deer.

 

JUST LOVELY!!!!!!!

 

The women would bring the most beautiful moccasins, mukluks, gloves and jackets in to the Friendship centre and sell them .. they would then be sold to visitors for a small profit .. the proceeds going towards the childrens Christmas party, small gifts, the boys and girls baseball team etc etc. The items were beautifully made and the moose hide was tanned and smoky .. I loved that smell. A person would leave an outline of the sole of their foot and the moccasins could be made to order .. the part of the slipper where it would be gathered up to attach to the upper portion was chewed by the ladies and then gathered neatly to the top .. I made a pair myself during lunchtimes and YES .. ChristmasJoy was chewing the smokey leather . I only wish I had purchased more of those lovely items back then, Joy. .

 

you could throw Northern Cree or Dene into the mix..

even Metis have a claim here....
"“Métis people are the Flower Beadwork People."

..although Metis work is usually very elaborate..



this gauntlet in a similar make...but much older.....

 

Yes, the majority of the folks in that town were Metis, most of the bead work on the jackets was BEAUTIFUL and elaborate, those ladies knew their stuff !!! ... Joy.

 

It is lovely work. Thanks for sharing your story Christmasjoy.

 

You're very welcome Pearls .. I LOVED the people, Joy.

 

What a wonderful experience Joy!

 

Beautiful pair of beaded gauntlets! I think they are midcentury-modern (1930's-60's) well made with great care to detail on the beadwork. The lining is becoming threadbare in spots, so take care as to not disturb that too much. I have worked with several Ojibwa tribes over the years in MI and MN that which this is a common motif with woodland tribes. My late husband's great grandmother was Ojibwa originally from Turtle Mountain and walked the entire trip to Fort Snelling in Minnesota when she was in her 20s and settled here. I inherited a beaded necklace she made when she was young, she passed in 1900. It was strung with deer sinue and leather strips, the sinue is so fragile that over time a few beads had gotten lost. I took it to a Native American beading shop and they were able to date the beads and find matching replaces for bead and sinue. The gloves look to be sewn with cotton coat thread maybe. I have attended and helped make Pow Wow Fancy Dance dresses for friends. Tradition is for the person to make their own traditional dress, sometimes beads are passed down to family, the turquoise beads on the gloves look like mine on the necklace. The gauntlets have darkened palm/fingers areas which looks to me like use you would find on pony/horse riding gloves. I have seen riders at the State Fair who have dressed as such in past years in the arena. It would be helpful to find more history on the grandmother for the provenance of the piece, maybe she was a show rider? She may have had ribbons won that would be nice to add with it in a showcase. Lots of wonderful comments from everyone!

 

I disagree .. Western Canada, Alberta. ... Joy.