Moosehair tray with lobed sides, octagonal, with floral embroidery, Eastern Woodlands, Huron-Wendat, about 1825-1875

Moosehair tray, with lobed sides. Octagonal. Floral decoration embroidered in coloured moosehair, now faded (2007), in long and short stitch, with some flowers and fruit and some raised work. The embroidery is on each lobe and on the base on a felt background in relief. Each lobe is a separate section of birch bark, and the tray is stitched together

Given by Carolina Honoria Morris

This formed part of the Animal Products collection which was one of the original collections displayed at Bethnal Green Museum, a branch of the South Kensington Museum, when it opened in 1872. Much of the material came from the Great Exhibition of 1851, and the collections continued to be added to until 1917. Less than half of the Animal Products Collection survived by 2000. Half had already been transferred to different V&A departments and half remained at Bethnal Green. In 2000 departments at the V&A were offered suitable items. Another quarter of the original collection was transferred, the remainder was offered to the Archive of Art and Design (V&A), along with the original registers. Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood kept a small selection of other items for display in conjunction with a History of the Museum information panel. The Collection of Animal Products original catalogue stated that this object was given by Mrs Carolina Honoria Morris, who had an address in Hammersmith, London, along with another tray and a box now transferred to T&F (AP.77:2-1872 and AP.78-1872). The meaning of the label on the bottom, 'Morveis 5.7.72' is not clear. The Bethnal Green Museum card indicated in hand-writing 'Huron/Lorette/PQ' (Québec) but it is not clear where this information came from.

This tray is made of felt, supported by a cork lining, embroidered in coloured moose-hair, and stitched together. Early museum records suggest that it was possibly embroidered in moose-hair and describe it as 'Huron/Lorette/PQ', referring to the indigenous people of Canada. It was acquired by the Museum in 1872, originally as part of the Animal Products collection, which was begun in 1853 at the suggestion of Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria. He advised on the formation of the Museum and suggested a collection of manufactured items made from natural raw materials, divided into animal, vegetable and mineral categories. In the end the Animal Products collection was the only one of the three to be formed. It was one of the original collections displayed at the branch museum in Bethnal Green, in the East End of London, when it opened in 1872.

AP.77:1-1872