Material Type

Artifact

Date Range From

1850

Date Range To

1900

Materials

HORSE HAIRS, BUCKSKIN, CANCELLOUS BONE

No. Pieces

4

Description

.1 PAINT BRUSH. 3 CM LTH X 18.1 CM DIA.. HORSE HAIR BRITTLE ENCASED IN BUCKSKIN. .2 PAINT BRUSH. 1.3 CM HT. X 3.8 CM WTH. X 5.1 CM LTH. CANCELLOUS BONE WEDGE ENCASED IN BUCKSKIN. YELLOW PAINT ADHERING TO BONE .3 PAINT BRUSH. 1.9 CM HT. X 3.5 CM WTH. X 8.2 CM LTH. GREEN PAINT. .4 PAINT BRUSH. 1.9 CM HT. X 3.8 CM WTH. X 8.9 CM LTH. .RED PAINT ADHERING TO BONE. CANCELLOUS BONE WEDGE ENCASED IN BUCKSKIN.CONSERVATION REPORT ON FILE.

Subjects

INDIGENOUS

Historical Association

DECORATIVE ARTS

ETHNOGRAPHIC

History

NORTHERN PLAINS INDIANS. *UPDATE* IN 2015 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON ASKED TWO FORMER MEMBERS OF THE LETHBRIDGE JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, PHIL EDMUNDSON AND PAUL RUSZNAK, ABOUT THE FIRST NATIONS ARTIFACTS THAT THE GROUP DONATED TO THE GALT MUSEUM IN 1964, 1969, AND 1973. NEITHER RECALLED HOW THE JAYCEES CAME INTO OWNERSHIP OF THE ARTIFACTS, AS THEIR ACQUISITION PREDATED BOTH EDMUNDSON AND RUSZNAK’S MEMBERSHIP IN THE CHAMBER. RESEARCH CONDUCTED INTO LETHBRIDGE’S GURNEY MUSEUM FOUND A CONNECTION BETWEEN ITS PROPRIETOR, WALTER GURNEY, AND THE JAYCEES, WHO ACCORDING TO AN ARTICLE FROM THE APRIL 16, 1946 ISSUE OF THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD ADVOCATED ON GURNEY’S BEHALF FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO BE MADE TO THE FORMER BOARD OF TRADE BUILDING WHERE THE MUSEUM WAS HOUSED. AN ARTICLE FROM THE JULY 13, 1948 ISSUE OF THE HERALD DESCRIBES SOME OF THE FIRST NATIONS ARTIFACTS ON DISPLAY IN THE MUSEUM: “TOMAHAWKS, ARROW HEADS, PEACE PIPES, BEAD AND LEATHER WORK, CLOTHING AND WOODCRAFT”. UPON THE CLOSURE OF THE MUSEUM AND SALE OF GURNEY’S COLLECTION TO BELMORE SCHULTZ OF THE ALTAMONT MUSEUM IN COUTTS, MENTION WAS MADE IN A HERALD ARTICLE FROM MAY 16, 1961 OF “HISTORICAL INDIAN RELICS THAT BELONG TO THE JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAVE BEEN RETAINED IN THE CITY AND WILL BE AVAILABLE WHEN PROPER DISPLAY FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE”. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE ARTIFACTS WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE JAYCEES BY GURNEY DURING THE DISSOLUTION OF HIS MUSEUM, BUT NO FURTHER CONFIRMATION WAS FOUND. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE GURNEY MUSEUM AND ITS COLLECTION, SEE RECORD P19890044001.

UPDATE 16 AUGUST 2017: ON 25 JULY 2017, MUSEUM CURATOR AIMEE BENOIT FOUND EVIDENCE TO CONNECT THE INDIGENOUS COLLECTION DONATED BY THE LETHBRIDGE JAYCEES (AKA. JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE) WITH FORMER LETHBRIDGE RESIDENTS THE LATE FRED BOTSFORD AND HIS LATE DAUGHTER DOROTHY CLARK. NOTES MADE BY AIMEE ON THE DISCOVERY AS WELL AS RELEVANT CLIPPINGS FROM THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD CAN BE FOUND ATTACHED TO THE PERMANENT FILE OF P19641140000.

Catalogue Number

P19641165000

Acquisition Date

1964-07

Collection

Museum

Less detail

Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

NEEDLE CASKET

Date Range From

1830

Date Range To

1953

Materials

TORTISESHELL, IVORY, SILVER

No. Pieces

2

Height

3.1

Length

6.0

Width

3.5

Description

1. CHEST, TORTOISESHELL VENEER. ROUND SILVER BUTTON CAN BE PUSHED IN ORDER TO OPEN CHEST. THREE, ROUND IVORY FEET ON BOTTOM, ONE MISSING. SILVER BANNER ON TOP OF CHEST MARKED, “FM” IN CURSIVE. BACK, PROPER LEFT, BOTTOM CORNER, FRONT, PROPER RIGHT CORNER AND BACK PROPER RIGHT TOP CORNER ARE CHIPPED. INSIDE OF CHEST LINED WITH BLUE, FLORAL DAMASK. 3.1 CM HIGH BY 6.0 CM LONG BY 3.5 CM WIDE. 2. CHARM. AGATE HEART,TRANPARENT BROWN, BLACK, AND WHITE STRIPED. AGATE ANCHOR MISSING ONE ARM, TRANSPARENT ORANGE AND RED SWIRLS. CHARMS CONNECTED BY THREE METAL LOOPS. 0.5 CM HIGH BY 3.6 CM LONG BY 2.1 CM WIDE.

Subjects

PERSONAL GEAR

Historical Association

DOMESTIC

DECORATIVE ARTS

History

ACCORDING TO DAVE MERESKI, A LOCAL GOLDSMITH, THE METHOD OF DRILLING HOLES AND LINKING THE CHARM TOGETHER WOULD DATE IT SOME TIME AFTER 1920. FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE P20090016001 AND PERMANENT FILE.

Catalogue Number

P20090016033

Acquisition Date

2009-05

Collection

Museum

Less detail

Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

TATTING CASE

Date Range From

1830

Date Range To

1890

Materials

TORTISESHELL, IVORY, SILVER

No. Pieces

10

Height

9.1

Length

4.1

Width

1.2

Description

TORTOISESHELL CASE AND LID WITH ASSORTED HOOKS AND NEEDLES AND HOLDER – 10 PIECES. REFER TO DIAGRAM IN PERMANENT FILE FOR LOCATIONS OF ITEMS IN CASE. 1. CASE, RECTANGULAR SHAPED. OUTSIDE COVERED WITH TORTOISESHELL VENEER. NINE COMPARTMENTS. COMPARTMENT 6 HAS A NEEDLE STUCK IN IT. LARGEST COMPARTMENT LINED WITH RED VELVET. TORTOISESHELL IS CRACKING ALONG EDGES OF CASE. LID HAS BROKEN OFF. 7.8 CM HIGH BY 4.1 CM LONG BY 1.2 CM WIDE. 2. LID , RECTUANGULAR SHAPED. OUTSIDE COVERED WITH TORTOISESHELL. INSIDE LINED WITH RED PAPER. SILVER BANNER ON TOP MARKED, “FM”. 2.2 CM HIGH BY 3.8 CM LONG BY 1.2 CM WIDE. 3. CROCHET HOOK, SILVER. POINTED HOOK AT ONE END, OTHER END COMES TO A POINT. TARNISHED. 5.6 CM LONG BY 0.2 CM IN DIAMETER. 4. NEEDLE, SILVER. ONE END TAPERS INTO A POINT, OTHER END TAPERS INTO A WEDGE SHAPE. TARNISHED. 5.4 CM LONG BY 0.1 CM IN DIAMETER. 5. NEEDLE, SILVER. BOTH ENDS TAPER TO A POINT. TARNISHED. 5.5 CM LONG BY 0.1 CM IN DIAMETER. 6. CROCHET HOOK, SILVER. ROUNDED HOOK AT ONE END, OTHER END BLUNT. TARNISHED. 5.5 CM LONG BY 0.1 CM IN DIAMETER. 7. CROCHET HOOK, SILVER. ONE END TAPERS INTO A POINT, HOOK APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN BROKEN OFF. TARNISHED. 5.5 CM LONG BY 0.1 CM IN DIAMETER. 8. CROCHET HOOK, SILVER. TINY POINTED HOOK AT ONE END, OTHER END COMES TO A POINT. TARNISHED. 5.6 CM LONG BY 0.1 CM IN DIAMETER. 9. CROCHET HOOK HOLDER. IVORY HANDLE WITH TWO ROUND, BLACK BANDS ON END CLOSEST TO SILVER HOLDER. TOP OF SILVER HOLDER DECORATED WITH BLACK BANDS, IT UNSCREWS FROM THE HANDLE TO REVEAL A SLOTTED, HOLLOW METAL SCREW. METAL ROD ENGRAVED “…EGISTERED…” 2 PIECES. 7.6 CM LONG BY 0.7 CM IN DIAMETER.

Subjects

TEXTILEWORKING T&E

Historical Association

DOMESTIC

DECORATIVE ARTS

History

FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE P20090016001 AND PERMANENT FILE.

Catalogue Number

P20090016031

Acquisition Date

2009-05

Collection

Museum

Less detail

Material Type

Artifact

Date Range From

1830

Date Range To

1953

Materials

STEEL

No. Pieces

5

Length

3.8

Width

1.2

Description

(5) GLAZIER'S POINTS, STEEL, PARALLELOGRAM SHAPED. TARNISHED THROUGHOUT. DULL EDGES.

Subjects

GLASS, PLASTICS, CLAYWORKING T&E

Historical Association

FINE ARTS

DOMESTIC

History

FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE P20090016001 AND PERMANENT FILE.

Catalogue Number

P20090016040

Acquisition Date

2009-05

Collection

Museum

Less detail