BEADWORK FORMS AND FUNCTIONS

The Iroquois beadwork that is the subject of this publication is made in over 60 different forms. These forms can be divided into four categories: pincushions, wall hangings, containers and purses, and clothing and flat pieces. Most of these forms have been made for over 100 years, and many have been made for 200 years or more.

In addition, there are two other types of Iroquois beadwork which are not surveyed here. One is the beadwork on a wire base often in the shape of a chair, cup, or turtle. Wirework is still being done by craftspeople on the Seneca and Tuscarora reservations. The other category is jewelry, which is probably the most frequently made form by contemporary beadworkers. Beaded barrettes, necklaces with medallions, daisy chain necklaces, broaches, rings, and earrings are very popular. In some pieces of jewelry, elements such as porcupine quills, sweetgrass, sequins, buttons, or cameos

BEADWORK STYLES

There are two distinct styles of Iroquois beadwork and most pieces can be assigned to one or the other: a western style and an eastern style. Because the makers of the western style have traditionally come from the reservations of western New York (mainly the Seneca and Tuscarora reservations) and the Six Nations of the Grand River reserve in Ontario, Canada and the beadworkers sell at Niagara Falls, that style is called the Niagara Style. The beadwork of the Mohawk reserves and reservations in the St. Lawrence Valley is referred to as the Mohawk Style.

PINCUSHIONS

I have identified 25 distinct pincushion forms. These shapes range from the simple heart shape to ten lobed, six pointed stars, birds, and boots. The most common fabric on the front is velvet and the backs are usually made of a shiny fabric called cambric, chintz, oilcloth, or polished cotton. In addition to velvet, sometimes wool, silk, velveteen, or twill was used for the front. Velvet is favored today.

They are stuffed with sawdust, cotton, newspapers, sweetgrass, cattail fluff, wool or whatever is available. Sawdust is the most common stuffing material on old pieces. Sawdust must be sifted to remove sharp pieces that could penetrate the tightly stretched fabric. Matilda Hill often used pine sawdust to give her pincushions a nice pine aroma. Perhaps the sweet grass stuffing in Mohawk pincushions gave them a pleasant fragrance, also. Although sawdust is still used, some new ones are stuffed with 100% polyester.

Almost all pincushions have hangers and were obviously meant to hang on a wall. The hangers may be made of single or double strands of beads, cord, or fabric. The double strands are often twisted.

The heart is the most common shape of all pincushions. Hearts make up about 20% of all beadwork. The valentine shaped heart is three times more common than its variant, the trilobe, or three lobed heart. The largest Iroquois pincushions are trilobes that can measure as much as 13” by 12”. Some of the most dramatic pincushions are large trilobe hearts with fantastic animals. A variant of that is an asymmetrical heart, which appears to take its form from early Iroquois silver brooches. Hearts with leaves framing the top of the heart were made by Kahnawake beadworkers from the 1890s through the 1920s. Hearts with a flower or floral motif on the top half on one side and a bird on the other side were made in the Niagara area.

Basic round pincushions are made round, three lobed, four lobed, five lobed, six lobed, eight lobed, and ten lobed. Six and eight lobed pincushions may be the oldest common forms but the oldest pincushion known has four lobes.

Other shapes are square, diamond shaped, cross shaped, and stars with five, six, or eight points, the latter being very rare. There are also some “fort-shaped” pincushions that are modified squares.

It is assumed that these pincushions were used by seamstresses to hold common pins and many show the holes left by the penetration of the pins.

The eight lobed rectangular pincushion, most often covered with purple velvet, is one of the most common and recognizable Iroquois pincushion form (see back cover.) It is also found in tan, green, blue, and red velvet. The back is often pink polished cotton. These heavy pieces may be the only pieces not meant to hang on the wall although some have hangers. It is thought that these large pieces were placed on the table in the foyer or dressing room to hold the long fancy hat pins which were used in the last quarter of the 19th century.

Another common form is the shoe or boot. They make up about 10% of the sample. There are both left and right forms, both which have been produced in roughly equal numbers. It appears that the earliest boots or high top shoes were the ones covered with all clear beads. Probably from the Niagara area, they often are made with red, tan, or blue cloth. Some boots, usually the largest ones, have a pocket on top. Some believe the pocket is to hold thimbles and scissors. Some Mohawk boots, especially those from the 1890s, are very large and loaded with beads.

Birds and strawberries are the only stuffed pieces made in the round. The birds come in two forms. The birds with wings down with a perch with balls hanging from it appear to be a Mohawk form. They often have dates beaded under their tails. Birds with wings held up are Tuscarora. Strawberries are often filled with emery. Both birds and strawberries were made with hangers.

Needle cases, or portable pincushions, are often the most ornately decorated. They come in two basic shapes: a clam shell shape and a trifold. A related form is the card holder which is a trifold almost always four inches wide.

are worked into the beaded designs.

WALL HANGINGS

Most wall hangings are made of cloth stretched over a cardboard base. Beads are applied to the cloth before it is glued to the cardboard. A finishing fabric is applied to the back. Most wall hangings have a beaded loop on the top to hang it by and decorative loops hanging from the bottom.

Two related forms are Mohawk and were meant to hold matches and whisk brooms. We know their function because some have beaded on them MATCHES or WHISK. There are two types of match holders: a two pocket form and a one pocket form. Most whiskbroom holders are similar in size and shape, although there is a variant form that is shaped like a snowshoe.

The function of the small wall slippers or wall pockets is unknown; perhaps they held rings or jewelry. Wall hangings with small round windows are thought to be pocket watch holders.

Picture frames come in many shapes meant to hold one to four or more pictures. Iroquois beadworkers were quick to answer a need in producing picture frames very soon after photography was invented. The earliest picture frames had small openings designed to hold the early carte-de-visite. One double set of picture frames is dated 1865.

Picture frames are sometimes combined with wall pocket forms or horseshoe forms into multi-functional pieces.

Horseshoe wall hangings were first made in the 1890s and are still being made today. They are made in both of the beadwork centers. They almost always have words beaded on them and, often, a date.

CONTAINERS & PURSES

Like the wall hangings, most of the containers have a cardboard base with beaded cloth stretched over it. Four, five, and six sided urns were meant to hang on beaded hangers and so must have contained something of very light weight. Many urns have balls hanging from their top edges; these balls are similar to the berries carried by birds. Vases and collection boxes are usually four sided and made by Mohawk beadworkers. The purpose of small round containers is unknown. Recently elaborately beaded boxes have been made in the Niagara area.

Some containers are not meant to be hung. Small square boxes are a rare form. Some small flat boxes were probably meant to hold cigars. Glasses holders and checkbook covers are cardboard based containers. The three-sided pinch purse has no hanger. However, the three-sided piece becomes an ornament when sown together and a hanger is attached.

Canoes are also made with this technique; some say that they were meant to hold toothpicks or matches.

Fist and box purses are very popular. Fist purses were made and sold at the Park as early as the 1860s. The boxes, often with BOX beaded on the lid, were made at Kahnawake. Box purses often have dates and fantastic animals beaded on them.

There are flat purses both in a pentagonal and round shape.

CLOTHING & FLAT PIECES

Flat pieces include mats, tablecloths, appliqués, and Kateri dolls. Appliqués were usually made for decorating clothing. Kateris are small flat dolls made in honor of the 17th century beatified Mohawk girl. Mats and tablecloths were made in the Niagara area starting in the early 19th century while the appliqués were made in the late 19th and early 20th century, often to decorate the outfits of Kahnawake performers.

Clothing includes caps, sashes, moccasins, crowns, collars, or flat purses made for personal or family use, for public performances, or to sell to others. Dressed dolls are included in this category.

The most common form in this category is the purse. There are flat purses with dark velvet backgrounds with similar beadwork designs. Considered traditional, they are usually beaded in a floral motif in beads that are in two shades of red, blue, gold, green, and white. They are different from the other purses in that they rarely have beaded handles; the handles are usually fabric or metal chain. A variant of the dark velvet purses are those on light material which feature clear beads with green and red highlights. Both types range in size from around 3"x3" to 8"x8".

Glengarry caps have similar floral designs and are thought by some to be women’s hats. Smoking caps may be solid color with or without a visor. Other caps are beaded only around the rim.

There is evidence that clothing was decorated with glass beads as early as the early 18th century, but few examples are extant. Late 18th century beaded clothing is the model for what is called traditional beaded clothing today. Elaborate beading in white beads is applied to the dark cloth of the apron and leggings on men’s outfits and the skirt and leggings of women’s clothing. Moccasins also are elaborately beaded, especially on the toe.