Cecil Denny CollectionNorthern Plains, CanadaNumber of items: 12

The Cecil Edward Denny Collection at the RoyalAlbertMemorialMuseum, Exeter

The accession register lists the items as follows:

1000/1904/1 - shirt

1000/1904/2 – pair of leggings

1000/1904/3 - bow

1000/1904/4 – bow case and quiver

1000/1904/5 - necklace

1000/1904/6 - pouch

1000/1904/7 –quirt/horsewhip

1000/1904/8 – quirt/horsewhip

1000/1904/9 - pouch

1000/1904/10 - bag

1000/1904/11 - knife

1000/1904/12 – feather bundle

Plains items purchased by RAMM in 1904 for £10. These items were said to have been purchased by Denny from Crowfoot at the time of the signing of Treaty 7 at Bow River, Alberta in 1877.

Item Name: buckskin shirt

Accession Number: 1000/1904/1

Dimensions: 1725 x 985mm

Provenance: Bow River, Alberta, Canada

Notes:

Item Name: pair of leggings

Accession Number: 1000/1904/2

Dimensions: each 995 x 470mm

Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada

Notes:

Item Name: Bow

Accession Number: 1000/1904/3

Dimensions:

Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada

Notes:

Item Name: Bow case and Quiver

Accession Number: 1000/1904/4

Dimensions: 1010 x 445mm

Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada

Notes:

Item Name: Necklace

Accession Number: 1000/1904/5

Dimensions:

Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada

Notes:

Item Name: Pouch (contains a small bag, top right)

Accession Number: 1000/1904/6

Dimensions:

Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada

Notes:Allan Pard 03/03/2015 “This is a divination kit that would have either been purchased by Crowfoot or gifted to him.”

Item Name: Quirt/ Horsewhip

Accession Number: 1000/1904/7

Dimensions: horn 328mm

Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada

Notes:

Item Name: Quirt/ Horsewhip

Accession Number: 1000/1904/8

Dimensions:

Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada

Notes:

Item Name: Pouch

Accession Number: 1000/1904/9

Dimensions: 740 x 135mm

Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada

Notes:

Item Name: Pouch/ fire bag

Accession Number: 1000/1904/10 (also 212/1996/3)

Dimensions: 590 x 160mm

Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada

Notes:

Item Name: Knife

Accession Number: 1000/1904/11

Dimensions: 420mm

Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada

Notes:

Item Name: Feather Bundle

Accession Number: 1000/1904/12

Dimensions: 425 x 260mm

Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada

Notes:

Existing captions for this collection

1000/1904/1&2

Ceremonial deer skin shirt and leggings with ochre staining and painted brown stripes. Trimmed with beaded bands, and beaded discs front and back, worked separately and sewn on. Additional decoration of quill-wrapped hair, red trade cloth, ermine strips, feathers and brass bells.

1000/1904/3

Arrows and bow of hardwood, probably ash, with split-feather vanes attached in threes. The iron arrow points are attached with an adhesive, then bound around with sinew. Earlier arrow points were made of flint. The coloured bands are marks of ownership.

This bow and arrow form part of the collection of the dress of Sapo- omach-socah, or Crowfoot, born about 1830, and principal chief of the Blackfoot from 1865 to 1890. Acquired by Cecil Denny, Plains Indian Agent 1882-3, and special agent for the Indian Commissioner during the Riel Rebellion of 1885.

1000/1904/4

Northern Plains region. Geometric beaded designs, outlined with a line of white beads, are a characteristic of Crow (Apsaroke) work. The floral beadwork style spread to the Plains from the eastern Woodlands. This kind of bow case and quiver, made of otter skin and popular with both the Plateau and Plains groups, was a widely-distributed style, almost certainly originating with the Crow. The two long flaps were decorated with quill embroidery, later with beadwork, as here (we have replaced the missing beaded panel with a photographic image). In this example, the otter skin remains, but there are only fragments of its once luxuriant fur.

1000/1904/5

Blackfoot necklace of a strip of deer hide strung with grizzly bear claws, imported glass and metal beads, teeth, including an elk tooth, claws, buffalo horn and brass studs. Symbols of courage and status, such necklaces were worn by distinguished Plains warriors.

Once owned by Crowfoot, chief of the Blackfoot. This necklace is made using hide strip with glass beads, teeth, claws, an elk tooth, metal beads, buffalo horn and brass studs. Such necklaces were worn by distinguished Plains warriors.

1000/1904/6

Inside this pouch is a bag made of European printed cotton fabric, with a hide thong tie. It contains fragments of water-worn pink granite gneiss, mica schist, feldspar and bituminous coal, plus a white glass button with a green rim.

1000/1904/7

Northern Plains elk antler quirt that would have been a treasured possession. Native to the American continent until becoming extinct there about 10,000 years ago, horses returned to America with European explorers from the 15th century, and were available to the Plains nations from the 18th century.

1000/1904/8

Horsewhip of elk antler, with a wrist-band of bead-embroidered trade cloth. The horse changed the lives of the Plains nations in a dramatic way, making buffalo hunting far easier than before, and increasing mobility as the horse replaced the dog travois for transporting the large, heavy buffalo hide tipis and other domestic items from place to place. Ownership of large herds of horses indicated a family’s wealth and status. Horses were traded, sometimes captured or bred, and trained for hunting, scouting, warfare and ceremonies.

Horn and braided hide, with a haft of red trade cloth backed with white cotton cloth, beaded in a floral pattern. Silk tassels strung with green glass beads. Acquired from Crowfoot, chief of the Blackfoot, by Cecil Denny, Indian Agent to the Blackfoot, Stony and Tsu t’ina (Sarcee) peoples, 1882-3.

1000/1904/9

Among Plains groups, small, rectangular beaded pouches had several functions. Some held flints and steel for making fire. Others, such as this one, may have contained a mirror, or a ration card to enable its owner to receive food distributed by the government.

1000/1904/10

A type of bag popular as a trade item with Canadian fur trading companies, made by the Plains Cree, Plains Ojibwa and marginal Plains groups. On the Northern Plains the smoking of tobacco accompanied every ceremony, and was certainly a feature of the Treaty 7 negotiations.

A soft hide fire bag for carrying a pipe and tobacco with a floral design on one side in European glass beads. The bead edging is typical of Cree style, while the four tab tops are characteristic of Cheyenne pouches.

1000/1904/11

Lashed onto the bone haft is the front part of a black or grizzly bear’s lower jaw, with a piece of bear skin, with the hair attached, wrapped around. The blade is of European make, stamped ‘JOUKES COULE’: this may be incomplete, the surname possibly continuing beneath the haft.

Jukes Coul - refers to Jukes Coulson and Co. A Sheffield firm that specialised in exporting trade goods such as hunting knives. They were frequently imported by the Hudson Bay Company during the first half of the 19th century.

Letter from Rowley to Denny dated 9th February 1904

Letter from Rowley to Denny dated 13th February 1904

Letter from Rowley to Denny dated 1st March 1904

Letter from Rowley to Denny dated 8th March 1904

Denny Accession Register

Purchase list

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