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Pair of Leggings

Arts of the Americas

MEDIUM Buckskin, porcupine quills, seed beads, thread
DATES early 19th century
DIMENSIONS 35 in. (88.9 cm)  (show scale)
COLLECTIONS Arts of the Americas
ACCESSION NUMBER 50.67.9a-b
CREDIT LINE Henry L. Batterman Fund and the Frank Sherman Benson Fund
PROVENANCE Prior to 1848, provenance not yet documented; by 1848, acquired by Nathan Sturges Jarvis; 1848, gift of Nathan Sturges Jarvis to the New-York Historical Society, New York, NY; 1937, loaned by the New-York Historical Society to the Brooklyn Museum; 1950, purchased from the New-York Historical Society by the Brooklyn Museum.
Provenance FAQ
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Leggings constructed with a long "tab" at each hip, near the top and above each outer seam. Below these tabs the outer seams on the rest of both leggings are decorated with one vertical strip of porcupine quillwork on each, outlined with beads in red, white-centered red, and black. The small seed bead and the cornalined'allepo (the white-centered) beads are not usually found on garments this early. Long fringes ornament the outer seams and the base of each strand is wrapped with red porcupine quills. The top and bottom edges of the leggings have short fringes. Shorter tabs are sewn on the bottom. This is generally referred to as bottom tabbed leggings, a style that permitted the tabs to stream along after the wearer when walking, a fashion that existed for only a brief time.
MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
CAPTION Red River Metis. Pair of Leggings, early 19th century. Buckskin, porcupine quills, seed beads, thread, 35 in. (88.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Henry L. Batterman Fund and the Frank Sherman Benson Fund, 50.67.9a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.50.67.9a-b_view1.jpg)
IMAGE front, CUR.50.67.9a-b_view1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2006
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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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Red River Metis. <em>Pair of Leggings</em>, early 19th century. Buckskin, porcupine quills, seed beads, thread, 35 in. (88.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Henry L. Batterman Fund and the Frank Sherman Benson Fund, 50.67.9a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.50.67.9a-b_view1.jpg)