Beautifully hand-beaded shoe-shaped ornament is known as a beaded whimsy. As early as the 1830s, Native Americans in the Eastern border region of Canada and the United States, such as the Iroquois, began producing elaborate beaded pincushions, purses, wall-pockets, and other decorative devices to sell as souvenirs, especially around Niagara Falls. These beaded whimsies were made of polished cotton or velvet and stuffed with sawdust. Colorful glass seed beads were used to adorn each unique ornament. The wonderful whimsies were a popular souvenir for decades, but by the 1920s they were falling out of fashion. This whimsical wall hanging is a piece of American history and is both a fantastic piece of folk art as well as an example of Native American beadwork.
All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!
3006-529
