Dress Ornament

A dress ornament, or sash, made of wolf skin and decorated with red wool, metal discs, quill-wrapped fringe, and black bird feathers. Collected by Thomas L. McKenney from the Missouri River Valley, this item was formerly part of the U.S. Department of War collections. It has been identified as having once belonged to Okeemakeequid of the Chippewa people.

From card: "mckenney collection: see illus. in ....... [mckenney-hall portrait gallery]. Strip of wolf skin with vertical slit midway. ears and muzzle outlined with a strip of red wool cloth. Ears and 'tail' attached to main strip. Metal discs on red cloth circles represent eyes. Attached strip of skin with quill-wrapped self fringe outlines face of animal. Four groups of black bird feathers attached down the length of the skin. Loaned to political history division july 18, 1974. Returned 11-29-82. *See p. 47 of the indian legacy of charles bird king by herman viola, smithsonian press, 1976, where this artifact is identified as having belonged to okeemakeequid, chippewa."

This item has been added to Accession 67A00050, the War Dept collection, on the basis of association with Thomas McKenney, who organized and maintained that collection. It is listed in the original catalog ledger as coming from "Varden (Washington Museum)". Length: 67"