Grand Portage National Monument - Clothing (U.S. National Park Service)

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Grand Portage National Monument

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	Grand Portage National Monument Clothing

Assomption Sash GRPO #525

NPS photo by Dave Cooper

Assomption Sash GRPO #525

Overview
- Few items of fur trade era clothing have survived the ravages of time. However, the Grand Portage collection does include a number of archeological objects such as buttons and shoe buckles that offer glimpses of the actual clothing worn by fur traders and voyageurs. This gallery also shows part of a colorful Assomption sash of the type popularized by voyageurs, although the sash is probably of later 19th century manufacture.
View Clothing further description information (36 Kb .pdf)

Clothing

Gallery Description: This album contains clothing items from archeological collections and the Grand Portage cultural collection.

Arrow and lightning pattern fingerwoven sash (mid-19th century) consisting of 515 threads woven in 1,089 rows. There are 19 color zones present. The woven length of the sash is 227.3 cm, the length of the fringe is 76.2 cm, and the width is 24.8 cm.

Assomption Sash#2 GRPO 525

Photo by NPS Photo by John Reed

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Finger-woven wool assomption sash with “arrow” pattern, original sash is over 12 feet long. Date: probably mid to late 19th century.

Detail of Assomption Sash GRPO #525

Photo by Dave Cooper

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Late 18th century pocket watch with top hinged glass casing, Roman numerals on enameled face. Watch includes side-hinged open-face case and hollow shaft key for the winding mechanism. The diameter of the watch face is 4.8 cm.

Pocket Watch GRPO 1425

Photo by NPS Photo by John Reed

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This button was produced for the British 84th Highlanders, part of the British 8th Regiment of Foot sent to Grand Portage in 1778 under the command of Lt. Thomas Bennett.

British 84th Highlanders Button GRPO 2453

Photo by NPS Photo by John Reed

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Flat, one-piece brass button with wire shank. The edge of the button is scalloped; a sprig, leaf, and two blossoms are stamped on the face. The diameter of the button is 3.2 cm.

Decorative Brass Button - GRPO 5192

Photo by NPS Photo by John Reed

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18th century brass shoe buckle frame with chain link design. The buckle stands 3.4 cm tall, 5.3 cm long, and 7.2 cm wide.

Chain Link Shoe Buckle Frame GRPO 12687

Photo by NPS Photo by John Reed

[Download 435 kb]

18th century decorative brass and white metal shoe buckle frame. The buckle contains two separate sections of very fine incised lines between a border of undecorated brass. It stands 2.9 cm tall, 5.2 cm long, and 8.2 cm wide.

Rectangular Shoe Buckle Frame GRPO 12697

Photo by NPS Photo by John Reed

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Leather insole from cobbled shoe with sharply tip (toe section missing) and narrow waist. The sole measures 20.3 cm long, 6.4 cm at its maximum width, 3.5 at its minimum width, and 0.5 cm thick.

Leather Insole GRPO 13125

Photo by NPS Photo by John Reed

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Flat-faced, decorative nautical design cupreous cuff links with recessed back and rounded edges. The diameter of a cuff link face is 1.6 cm.

Round Cupreous Cufflinks GRPO 14404

Photo by NPS Photo by John Reed

[Download 529 kb]

Cast white metal button with central depression in face encircled by narrow line. Eye is molded to back of button; button face diameter is 1.6 cm.

Cast White Metal Button - GRPO 14886

Photo by NPS Photo by John Reed

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Cast white metal button with central depression in face and variable concentric ring facial patterns. Eye is molded to back of button; button face diameter is 1.7 cm.

Cast White Metal Button - GRPO 14887

Photo by NPS PHoto by John Reed

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Cast white metal button with decorative facial designs radiating out from center. Eye is molded to back of button; button face diameter is 1.7 cm.

Cast White Metal Button - GRPO 14888

Photo by NPS Photo by John Reed

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Cast white metal button with central hub and radiating spoke facial design. Crudely-shaped eye is molded to back of button; button face diameter is 1.7 cm.

Cast White Metal Button - GRPO 14889

Photo by NPS Photo by John Reed

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Five-piece button consisting of white metal facial plate disk with cupreous dome protruding from center, an undecorated white metal back, and beaded and crimped cupreous collar with soft fibrous fill material. Button face diameter is 2.6 cm.

Five-Piece Button - GRPO 14897

Photo by NPS Photo by John Reed

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Two-piece cupreous button with domed face with decorative pinwheel design and crimped edges. The diameter of the button face is 1.6 cm.

Two-piece Cupreous Button - GRPO 14900

Photo by NPS Photo by John Reed

[Download 510 kb]

Cast cupreous button with raised decorative floral motifs on flat face. The eyes are drilled with rounded ends. The diameter of the button face is 2.7 cm.

Decorative Cupreous Button - GRPO 14901

Photo by NPS Photo by John Reed

[Download 594 kb]

Decorative cuff link consisting of brass bottom with rimmed top, mother of pearl gilt enclosed by rim, and central glass inset. Bottom of link is oval concave and possesses hinge molded to top link.

Decorative Cuff Links - GRPO 17042

Photo by NPS Photo by John Reed

[Download 501 kb]

Flat, spun-back non-ferrous metal button with decorative crown. Facial design consists of floral motif with multiple series of variable concentric rings radiating from center to edge of crown. The diameter of the button is 2.7 cm.

Spun-back Button - GRPO 17592

Photo by NPS Photo by John Reed

[Download 438 kb]

Flat, spun-back non-ferrous metal button with decorative crown. Facial design consists of a series of small lines in a “sunburst” pattern at the edge of crown. The diameter of the button is 2.9 cm.

Spun-back Button - GRPO 17593

Photo by NPS PHoto by John Reed

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Pair of non-ferrous metal buttons with convex crown and back. Divided into four quadrants by two wavy lines intersecting at center, thinner series of lines radiate from a raised central cross at apex of crown. The diameter of each button is 1.6 cm.

Decorative Convex Buttons - GRPO 17597

Photo by NPS Photo by John Reed

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Broken brass shoe buckle frame with intact ferrous metal double prong hook, double prong tongue, and hinge bar. Floral and leaf motif adorns brass frame with rounded edges. The overall length of the incomplete frame is 5.6 cm and it is 4.8 cm wide.

Shoe Buckle Frame with Hinge Elements - GRPO 17602

Photo by NPS Photo by John Reed

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The brass buckle is decorated at the corners with an etched leaf design. It is probably late 18th century British origin.

Shoe Buckle Frame GRPO #12696

Photo by Karen Stay

[Download 48 kb]

This brass shoe buckle frame is probably late 18th century British in origin.

Shoe Buckle Frame GRPO #12698

Photo by Karen Stay

[Download 40 kb]

Front view of white metal (or tombac) button, with central floral pattern, 26.5mm diameter, probably late 18th century British.

White Metal Button GRPO #17592

Photo by NPS photo by Karen Stay

[Download 41 kb]

Back view of white metal (or tombac) button, 20.5mm diameter, probably late 18th century British. The wooden toggle was probably used to secure the button flush with the clothing surface, as in a coat lapel facing or button-decorated cuff.

Button with Wooden Toogle GRPO #16374

Photo by NPS photo by David Cooper

[Download 130 kb]

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Last Updated: May 12, 2011 at 11:52 MST