Iroquois Placemat, 19th Century

This very beautiful placemat is an Iroquois work from the mid-19th century. Souvenirs of Niagara Falls, these small beaded objects were made by Indian women and sold to white tourists who visited the falls. The beads of wood, bone or shell that the Indians used to adorn clothing and accessories were gradually replaced by glass beads brought by Europeans; these beads came from Italy. Their use became important from the 19th century. The first glass beads were either too expensive or unsuitable for Indian work, but beads more suited to local crafts appeared, these are pony beads which take their name from the “Pony Express” which delivered them. Then smaller beads appear, they are called seed beads and take the place of the pony beads. They now adorn souvenir items sold by Indians but also clothing and moccasins as well as everyday objects. At the same time as this object, we acquired a cushion bearing the following handwritten label: “Embroidery made by the Indians of Canada. Niagara Falls. May 18, 1858” signed “Linda”. Many illustrations of this work appear in prestigious American museums, the Metropolitan in New York and the Smithsonian in Washington among others. One or two small defects should be noted on the velvet.