Tsep or dance apron, black background with red trim, embroidered ravens and abstract floral designs with puffin beaks, thimbles and bullet casings
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tsep

Dance Apron

This dance apron features two ravens facing one another, embroidered using wool yarn. The forward wings of the ravens represent the salmon-trout’s head design. Attached to the apron are tinkers make of puffin beaks, brass thimbles and bullet shells.

Owner

Abraham

Catalogue Information

Provenance

Owned by Abraham until its forced surrender to Indian Agent William Halliday on March 25, 1922. Halliday later displayed and photographed the seized pieces at the Parish Hall in Alert Bay. After doing an inventory, he crated the items in June, and at the end of September he shipped them to Edward Sapir at the National Museum of Man (now the Canadian Museum of History). They remained the property of the NMM until their repatriation by the U’mista and Nuyumbalees Cultural Societies in 1979.

Materials

Fibre, Wool; Fibre, Cotton; Metal, Brass; Bill, Puffin

Dimensions

69.0 cm x 72.0 cm

Accession Number

80.01.159

Physical Description

Dance apron made from black cotton cloth backed with unbleached cotton. It features appliqued panels of red woolen cloth (stroud) arranged in four horizontal bars and two vertical bars down each side. The upper border is covered with a burgundy applique. The design is composed of two ravens facing one another, embroidered using variegated wool yarn. The forward wings of the ravens are reminiscent of a salmon trout head design. Attached to the apron are tinkers made from puffin beaks, brass thimbles and cartridge cases all of which are sewn on. Blue, red, yellow, white, pink.