Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Number of items: 12
The Cecil Edward Denny Collection at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum,
Exeter
The accession register lists the items as follows:
1000/1904/1 - shirt
1000/1904/2 – pair of leggings
1000/1904/3 - bow
1000/1904/4 – bow case and quiver
1000/1904/5 - necklace
1000/1904/6 - pouch
1000/1904/7 –quirt/horsewhip
1000/1904/8 – quirt/horsewhip
1000/1904/9 - pouch
1000/1904/10 - bag
1000/1904/11 - knife
1000/1904/12 – feather bundle
Plains items purchased by RAMM in 1904 for £10. These items were said to have been purchased by
Denny from Crowfoot at the time of the signing of Treaty 7 at Bow River, Alberta in 1877.
Page 1 of 21
Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Item Name: buckskin shirt
Accession Number: 1000/1904/1
Dimensions: 1725 x 985mm
Provenance: Bow River, Alberta, Canada
Notes:
Page 2 of 21
Number of items: 12
Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Item Name: pair of leggings
Accession Number: 1000/1904/2
Dimensions: each 995 x 470mm
Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada
Notes:
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Number of items: 12
Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Item Name: Bow
Accession Number: 1000/1904/3
Dimensions:
Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada
Notes:
Page 4 of 21
Number of items: 12
Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Item Name: Bow case and Quiver
Accession Number: 1000/1904/4
Dimensions: 1010 x 445mm
Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada
Notes:
Page 5 of 21
Number of items: 12
Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Item Name: Necklace
Accession Number: 1000/1904/5
Dimensions:
Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada
Notes:
Page 6 of 21
Number of items: 12
Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Number of items: 12
Item Name: Pouch (contains a small bag, top right)
Accession Number: 1000/1904/6
Dimensions:
Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada
Notes: Allan Pard 03/03/2015 “This is a divination kit that would have either been purchased by
Crowfoot or gifted to him.”
Page 7 of 21
Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Item Name: Quirt/ Horsewhip
Accession Number: 1000/1904/7
Dimensions: horn 328mm
Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada
Notes:
Page 8 of 21
Number of items: 12
Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Item Name: Quirt/ Horsewhip
Accession Number: 1000/1904/8
Dimensions:
Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada
Notes:
Page 9 of 21
Number of items: 12
Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Item Name: Pouch
Accession Number: 1000/1904/9
Dimensions: 740 x 135mm
Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada
Notes:
Page 10 of 21
Number of items: 12
Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Item Name: Pouch/ fire bag
Accession Number: 1000/1904/10 (also 212/1996/3)
Dimensions: 590 x 160mm
Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada
Notes:
Page 11 of 21
Number of items: 12
Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Item Name: Knife
Accession Number: 1000/1904/11
Dimensions: 420mm
Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada
Notes:
Page 12 of 21
Number of items: 12
Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Item Name: Feather Bundle
Accession Number: 1000/1904/12
Dimensions: 425 x 260mm
Provenance: Northern Plains, Canada
Notes:
Page 13 of 21
Number of items: 12
Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Number of items: 12
Existing captions for this collection
1000/1904/1&2
Ceremonial deer skin shirt and leggings with ochre staining and painted brown stripes. Trimmed with
beaded bands, and beaded discs front and back, worked separately and sewn on. Additional
decoration of quill-wrapped hair, red trade cloth, ermine strips, feathers and brass bells.
1000/1904/3
Arrows and bow of hardwood, probably ash, with split-feather vanes attached in threes. The iron
arrow points are attached with an adhesive, then bound around with sinew. Earlier arrow points
were made of flint. The coloured bands are marks of ownership.
This bow and arrow form part of the collection of the dress of Sapo- omach-socah, or Crowfoot, born
about 1830, and principal chief of the Blackfoot from 1865 to 1890. Acquired by Cecil Denny, Plains
Indian Agent 1882-3, and special agent for the Indian Commissioner during the Riel Rebellion of
1885.
1000/1904/4
Northern Plains region. Geometric beaded designs, outlined with a line of white beads, are a
characteristic of Crow (Apsaroke) work. The floral beadwork style spread to the Plains from the
eastern Woodlands. This kind of bow case and quiver, made of otter skin and popular with both the
Plateau and Plains groups, was a widely-distributed style, almost certainly originating with the Crow.
The two long flaps were decorated with quill embroidery, later with beadwork, as here (we have
replaced the missing beaded panel with a photographic image). In this example, the otter skin
remains, but there are only fragments of its once luxuriant fur.
1000/1904/5
Blackfoot necklace of a strip of deer hide strung with grizzly bear claws, imported glass and metal
beads, teeth, including an elk tooth, claws, buffalo horn and brass studs. Symbols of courage and
status, such necklaces were worn by distinguished Plains warriors.
Once owned by Crowfoot, chief of the Blackfoot. This necklace is made using hide strip with glass
beads, teeth, claws, an elk tooth, metal beads, buffalo horn and brass studs. Such necklaces were
worn by distinguished Plains warriors.
1000/1904/6
Inside this pouch is a bag made of European printed cotton fabric, with a hide thong tie. It contains
fragments of water-worn pink granite gneiss, mica schist, feldspar and bituminous coal, plus a white
glass button with a green rim.
1000/1904/7
Page 14 of 21
Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Number of items: 12
Northern Plains elk antler quirt that would have been a treasured possession. Native to the
American continent until becoming extinct there about 10,000 years ago, horses returned to
America with European explorers from the 15th century, and were available to the Plains nations
from the 18th century.
1000/1904/8
Horsewhip of elk antler, with a wrist-band of bead-embroidered trade cloth. The horse changed the
lives of the Plains nations in a dramatic way, making buffalo hunting far easier than before, and
increasing mobility as the horse replaced the dog travois for transporting the large, heavy buffalo
hide tipis and other domestic items from place to place. Ownership of large herds of horses
indicated a family’s wealth and status. Horses were traded, sometimes captured or bred, and trained
for hunting, scouting, warfare and ceremonies.
Horn and braided hide, with a haft of red trade cloth backed with white cotton cloth, beaded in a
floral pattern. Silk tassels strung with green glass beads. Acquired from Crowfoot, chief of the
Blackfoot, by Cecil Denny, Indian Agent to the Blackfoot, Stony and Tsu t’ina (Sarcee) peoples, 18823.
1000/1904/9
Among Plains groups, small, rectangular beaded pouches had several functions. Some held flints and
steel for making fire. Others, such as this one, may have contained a mirror, or a ration card to
enable its owner to receive food distributed by the government.
1000/1904/10
A type of bag popular as a trade item with Canadian fur trading companies, made by the Plains Cree,
Plains Ojibwa and marginal Plains groups. On the Northern Plains the smoking of tobacco
accompanied every ceremony, and was certainly a feature of the Treaty 7 negotiations.
A soft hide fire bag for carrying a pipe and tobacco with a floral design on one side in European glass
beads. The bead edging is typical of Cree style, while the four tab tops are characteristic of Cheyenne
pouches.
1000/1904/11
Lashed onto the bone haft is the front part of a black or grizzly bear’s lower jaw, with a piece of bear
skin, with the hair attached, wrapped around. The blade is of European make, stamped ‘JOUKES
COULE’: this may be incomplete, the surname possibly continuing beneath the haft.
Jukes Coul - refers to Jukes Coulson and Co. A Sheffield firm that specialised in exporting trade goods
such as hunting knives. They were frequently imported by the Hudson Bay Company during the first
half of the 19th century.
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Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Letter from Rowley to Denny dated 9th February 1904
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Number of items: 12
Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Letter from Rowley to Denny dated 13th February 1904
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Number of items: 12
Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Letter from Rowley to Denny dated 1st March 1904
Page 18 of 21
Number of items: 12
Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Letter from Rowley to Denny dated 8th March 1904
Page 19 of 21
Number of items: 12
Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Denny Accession Register
Page 20 of 21
Number of items: 12
Cecil Denny Collection
Northern Plains, Canada
Purchase list
Page 21 of 21
Number of items: 12