Before the introduction of glass beads, Iroquois women decorated their family’s clothing with bone, shell, and stone beads. Dyed porcupine quills and moose hair were also attached to clothing in intricate patterns. They were colored with natural dyes. But when glass beads were introduced from Europe, more designs in more colors were possible.
Little is known about 18th century clothing and the beadworkers who decorated it but Molly Brant (1736-1796) was known as an expert beadworker. Little is known of other 18th century Iroquois women. Paintings of men show beads worked into finger woven sashes and beaded edgings.
In the 1840s Lewis Henry Morgan collected Iroquois clothing and other items with beaded decorations. Many are said to have been made by Caroline Parker Mt Pleasant, who is pictured on page 8 wearing beaded clothing. Her brother Levi Parker is pictured with her. There are pincushions, mats, and tablecloths with similar beadwork.
Often Iroquois dolls, such as those pictured, are dressed in 20th century versions of 18th century clothing.
The exhibit picture shows a Glengarry cap and a round cap. There are photos of men wearing similar round caps, but there are no photos of someone wearing a Glengarry. Some people believe that Iroquois women, not men, wore glengarries. Glengarries seem more numerous than the round caps, but neither is common.
Leather Iroquois moccasins with beadwork on the toe, black cloth cuffs, and red ties are rather numerous. They are available from small baby size to large adult men’s sizes. Many pairs are beaded with dates between 1900 and 1912.
The belt in the exhibit has Mohawk beadwork, but it may have been made for a man who was a member of an Indian hobbyist club. Many of the outfits worn by members of the Improved Order of the Red Men are decorated with Mohawk beadwork.
The multi flap belt decorated with Mohawk beadwork could also have been worn as part of an IORM outfit or could have been worn by Mohawk performers who traveled extensively in wild west and medicine shows. Both women and men wore such belts with their shirts, skirts, and leggings, all of which display similar beadwork.
The flat black purses (bags or pouches) are the most common type of Iroquois beadwork. There are about 60 in the collection and I have pictures of another several hundred, and there are no two exactly alike. The most common characteristics are a floral motif in two shades of pink/red, blue/light blue, gold/yellow, white/clear with green stems also sometimes in two shades. The colors are sometimes mixed, such as with pink and blue together. The beadwork on both sides of the purses are almost always identical. The flaps usually are outlined by two rows of white beads with larger white edging beads. The exterior of the bags are usually black or dark brown velvet, while the interior is often pink polished cotton. The bags often have a red binding, but sometimes it is green or blue. Handles are usually fabric . The beaded fringe can be clear, colored, or a mixture of many colors. Most have no fringe. Some purses have metal clasps and frames and chain handles. The bags made in the early 19th century show more variety and smaller beads than the later ones. It is unclear if all the bags were meant for Indian use or for resale.
It is likely that the bag design, like the Glengarry caps, is inspired by Scottish dress. Both glengarries and flat black bags have similar beadwork featuring light colored tubular beads..
There is a type of flat purse that is far less common than the flat black purses but is similar in many ways. These are bags made on light colored cloth with a floral motif made with the cut glass tubular beads: often in clear, green, and red. Many of the round caps have similar beadwork.
Contemporary beadworkers make beaded collars, crowns, and moccasins as well as decorate commercial clothing with beadwork.
Early 20th century Iroquois dolls are often dressed in leather. Faces are cornhusk, cloth, or leather.
Mats are intricately beaded round or square pieces with unbeaded centers. They have repeated symmetrical designs. Clear beads are the most common types used. They all are probably Niagara.
Types of clothing and flat pieces include: