Rare Iroquois Beaded Book Cover C. 1904

  
Rare to find, I have owned only two such book covers in 20 plus years of collecting Native American bead work. This is most likely a prayer book cover, due to its diminutive size, but could possibly be used for just a very small book.

It is crafted from black velvet with silk edge binding and multicolored glass beads depicting various floral motifs. There are three rows of outer edge beading in micro beads; then four, six and seven rows within the cover. The interior lining is dark brown polished cotton.

The book cover is made of four panels with pockets in the lining where the front and back cover of the book would be inserted. The top panel labeled Panel 1 would fold over the front of the book, very. Like the three panel card holders that are much more commonly seen. A hand written note was inside the book cover: Made by Ben Larch Tainter when he was 10 years old and he was sick. He gave it to me about 1904.

"Susie your great Uncle" is written in a different hand, a woman's, so I assume she is giving the item to Susie along with its history. Whether or not the story is accurate, or has been garbled through passing generations, is unknowable. The note is part of the history of the item.

MEASURES: 14 inches long unfolded; 5.75 inches wide; 4.5 inches high when folded. Native American Iroquois Mohawk Algonquian Algonquin old antique beads beaded beadwork bead work North American Indian. The item "RARE IROQUOIS BEADED BOOK COVER C. 1904" is in sale since Wednesday, June 27, 2018. This item is in the category "Antiques\Ethnographic\Native American".

The seller is "tashota" and is located in Rochester, New York. This item can be shipped to United States.

• Maker: Iroquois
• Material: velvet, glass beads, polished cotton
• Original/Reproduction: Original
• Color: Black