Tuesday, August 28, 2012

New Book on Iroquois Beaded Bags


A Cherished Curiosity: The Souvenir Beaded Bag in Historic Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Art

     Since the early 19th century, Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) beaded bags have been admired and cherished by travelers to Niagara Falls and other tourist destinations for their aesthetic beauty, detailed artistry, and the creative spirit of their makers.  These bags played a crucial role in the subsistence of many Indian families during the 19th century. This lavishly illustrated history examines these bags – the most extensively produced dress accessory made by the Haudenosaunee – along with the historical development of beadworking both as an art form and as a subsistence practice for Native women.

     The beaded bags are considered in the context of art, fashion, and the tourist economy. Illustrated with over one hundred and sixty of the most important  and exquisite examples, along with a unique collection of historical photographs of the bags in their original context, this book provides essential reading for collectors and researchers of this long neglected and misunderstood area of American Indian art.

Hard Cover with Dust Jacket - 8.5 x 11 inches. 184 pages.
Limited printing of only 1500 copies. The book can be ordered from me directly through my website: http://www.gerrybiron.com/pages/publications.html

Below is a sampling of pages from the book so you can preview it before purchasing.