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This table cover of black velveteen decorated with raised beadwork of white, red and green beads portrays eighteen birds feasting on choke cherries, with eight empty Victorian baskets placed along the border, a design which was probably inspired by Iroquoian carved cradle boards. Although the table cover attempts to be symmetrical, the symmetry fails with the centre birds perched on the basket handle and its cascading choke cherries. It employs a dense pattern of design reminiscent of European carpet bags and primarily reflects the tastes of Victorian Canada. This virtuosity in beading became standard for the burgeoning tourist market of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. (Text written by Tom Hill)