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Turner collection on my desk ready for cataloguing © Pitt Rivers Museum |
I recently had the pleasure of accessioning a delightful collection of Native American material kindly donated to the Museum by Jessica Turner. The collection was amassed by her father Geoffrey Eric Slade Turner, a keen Native American enthusiast. Geoffrey Turner was very
familiar with the Museum having worked in an administrative position in the secretary's office at the Pitt Rivers neighbour, the Oxford University Museum of Natural History for over 50 years. His
passion for the Americas and service to the Pitt Rivers Museum was recognised with the title ‘Honorary Assistant Curator (later
Consultant) in North American Indian ethnology.
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child's slippers; 2014.43.17 .1 & .2 © Pitt Rivers Museum |
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Moose hair workbox; 2014.43.10 © Pitt Rivers Museum |
Despite his interest in the
culture and fauna and floral of North America remarkably in his lifetime he
never made the journey across the pond. Despite this, his knowledge and
interests ensured that he had a healthy correspondence with North American
experts. The recent donation also included an extensive collection of
photographs, postcards and letters, which having had a brief perusal indicate
Turner established a warm friendship with his American counterparts. The
photographs included scenes of ‘cowboy’s and Indians’ and postcards featuring
notable figures from the Mexican Revolution of 1910, further showing his
interest in Native American history.
There are 37 artifacts in Jessica Turner’s
donation which include a model totem pole, moose hair embroidered pieces,
moccasins and skin pouches to name a few. Among the objects were letters and
itemized listings of most of the objects detailing where they came from,
approximate dates and other provenance information. The collection includes
beautiful examples of moose hair embroidery including this satin and bark
workbox and card case. My favorite item from the collection are these child’s
slippers made from Caribou skin with white fur cuffs.
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Embroidery techniques and a selection of moccasin vamps © Pitt Rivers Museum |
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Catalogued and traded up ready for photography © Pitt Rivers Museum |
The collection is an
interesting array highlighting Turner’s personal interests, eye for the
aesthetically pleasing and scholarly interests such as the index cards with
white cotton woven braid illustrating hair embroidery techniques. These
techniques feature in the publication written by Turner as a Pitt Rivers Museum
Occasional Paper titled ‘Hair Embroidery in Siberia and North America’, 1955. Again, emphasizing his scholarly interests are a collection of Moccasin vamps
showing straight edges, scalloped edges and seal-fur.
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Page 31 of Turner, 'Hair Embroidery' © Pitt Rivers Museum |
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Catalogued and traded up ready for photography |
The collection has now been
catalogued, photographed and put in storage. Given that most of the collection
was organic it was frozen for a period before accessioning. The collection
includes some early pieces and was mostly in good condition. I spent time
making a soft mount for two beadwork necklaces, which would otherwise get
tangled in storage.
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Beaded necklace on soft mount for storage; 2014.43.24 © Pitt Rivers Museum |
Faye Belsey
Assistant Curator
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