Cleveland Museum of Art

Pelerine (Collar or Cape)

Date

c. 1830–1860

Medium

Cotton, peacock feathers, guinea fowl feathers?, Gadwalls duck feathers

Culture

Northeastern Woodlands, Great Lakes/St. Lawrence River Region or Europe

Department

Textiles

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Experts argue about collars of this type: Did a Great Lakes native artist make it, using as a model an English lady’s pelerine and exotic feathers obtained through trade? Or was the collar created by a European feather worker, perhaps after seeing the spectacular feather capes of native Hawaiian royals who visited England in 1824? There are arguments for both views—and for further research.

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