Possibly Sioux. <em>Dress</em>, 1875–1900. Wool cloth, dentalium shells, ribbon, glass beads, brass bells, cotton, 43 5/16 x 33 7/16in. (110 x 85cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Stewart Smith Memorial Fund, 46.96.12. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 46.96.12_front_PS2.jpg)

Dress

Artist:Sioux

Medium: Wool cloth, dentalium shells, ribbon, glass beads, brass bells, cotton

Geograhical Locations:

Dates:1875–1900

Dimensions: 43 5/16 x 33 7/16in. (110 x 85cm)

Collections:

Exhibitions:

Accession Number: 46.96.12

Image: 46.96.12_front_PS2.jpg,

Catalogue Description:
Dark blue wool cloth dress with a long bodice (collar) of dentalium shells in a pre- Reservation style decoration because these shells were hard to obtain. The Sioux would have traded for them. This would be for a special woman and handed down in families. The very heavy dress does not look reworked and was worn very little and probably only used for special occasions. Blue wool trade cloth, red, white, blue ribbons might indicate July 4th reference. A slit is at the back of the dress and the basic pattern is T-shaped. Four-direction designs on the bottom would be prestige decoration and the little flowers along the bottom are unusual, odd. The bells are different colors. The body of the dress is machine sewn.

Brooklyn Museum