Historic New England

Kapa

Large fragment of blue kapa cloth from Hawaii. Very thin, soft and translucent. Heavily embossed using a incised and patterned kapa beater with star-shapes. Kapa (the Hawaiian word for tapa) is a cloth made from the inner bark of trees and is widely used in the Pacific for clothing and bedding, as w...

Maker: unknown

Material: tapa (bark cloth)

GUSN: 271931

Accession Number: 2006.44.3656

Kapa

Fragment of white kapa cloth from Hawaii. Creamy white color has been lightly rubbed with a light gray substance, possibly charcoal. Very thin but has a crinkley texture. The kapa is embossed with closely set circular shapes. Possibly a layer of a kapa moe, or multi-layered sleeping cover. Kapa (the...

Maker: unknown

Material: tapa (bark cloth)

GUSN: 271932

Accession Number: 2006.44.3657

Bookcase

Bookcase, glass doors, cabinet base. Carved egg and dart molding with decorative floral medallions. Three interior shelves.

Date: 1815-1825

Maker: Vose, Isaac, Sr., 1767-1823 Vose, Isaac, Jr., 1794-1872

Material: mahogany (wood)

GUSN: 271933

Accession Number: 1933.1262

Kapa

Large piece of white kapa cloth, probably part of a multi-layered kapa moe, or Hawaiian sleeping cover. Thin and very soft, the kapa is heavy and embossed with lines of different sized circles. Kapa (the Hawaiian word for tapa) is a cloth made from the inner bark of trees and is widely used in the P...

Maker: unknown

Material: tapa (bark cloth)

GUSN: 271934

Accession Number: 2006.44.3658

Kapa stamp

Kapa stamp from Hawaii, or ohe kapala. Thin bamboo strip with incised pattern of closely aligned chevrons followed by four diamond shapes, each incised with two small triangle shapes. Carved into the end of one side. The stamp would be dipped in paint and pressed onto kapa cloth to create a repeated...

Maker: unknown

Material: bamboo (material)

GUSN: 271938

Accession Number: 2006.44.3659

Kapa Stamp

Kapa stamp from Hawaii, or ohe kapala. Thin bamboo strip with incised pattern of closely spaced circles with radiating arms like a stars or flowers carved into the end of one side. Stamp would be dipped in paint and pressed onto kapa cloth to create a repeated decorative pattern. Old paint/dye resid...

Maker: unknown

Material: bamboo (material)

GUSN: 271939

Accession Number: 2006.44.3660

Kapa Stamp

Kapa stamp from Hawaii, or ohe kapala. Thin bamboo strip with incised pattern of three double bands placed on the diagonal, each band incised with five square shapes. Carved into the end of one side. Stamp would be dipped in paint/dye and pressed onto kapa cloth to create a repeated decorative patte...

Maker: unknown

Material: bamboo (material)

GUSN: 271941

Accession Number: 2006.44.3661

Tapa Kerchief

Kerchief made of tapa cloth from the Pacific Islands. Triangle shape with border and dots across a tan field. Kerchiefs were introduced to the Pacific Islands by missionaries in the early nineteenth century. Probably a souvenir item from Hawaii. Tapa is cloth made from the inner bark of certain tre...

Maker: unknown

Material: tapa (bark cloth)

GUSN: 271942

Accession Number: 2006.44.3662

Work Pocket

Work pocket made of a white sheer, stiff cotton printed with purple windowpane and polka dot pattern; Divided inner pocket; Gathered outer pocket with scalloped flap, embroidery at flap; White binding; One cotton tie.

Maker: unknown

Material: cotton (textile)

GUSN: 271943

Accession Number: 1992.215

Doll dress

Doll's dress, white linen printed with pin and brown floral trail pattern; Cap sleeves; Drawstring neckline; Center pleat on bodice.

Maker: unknown

Material: linen (material)

GUSN: 271944

Accession Number: 1992.304

Doll apron

Doll apron, brown, wine and white geometric stripe printed on linen; Gathered to brown and white floral waistband and ties; Body bound with same material as waistband.

Maker: unknown

Material: linen (material)

GUSN: 271945

Accession Number: 1992.305

Infant Bonnet

Infant bonnet, peach silk with pink embroidery edged with lace around edges.

Date: 1929-1934

Maker: unknown

Material: silk (textile)

GUSN: 271951

Accession Number: 1999.93

Infant Bonnet

Infant bonnet, net with pink silk ribbon trim sewn at left and right ears; Pink silk ribbon across forehead with bows at both ends; Double row of net at forehead; Silk lining.

Date: 1929-1934

Maker: unknown

Material: net (textile), silk (textile)

GUSN: 271952

Accession Number: 1999.94

Pair of girl's shoes

Pair of child's shoes, pink crochet over silk body; Crocheted rossette on toe; Silk covered button; Three-sided strap with bound buttonhole.

Date: 1929-1934

Maker: unknown

Material: silk (textile)

GUSN: 271953

Accession Number: 1999.95AB

Tapa

Large roll of tapa cloth (or siapo), likely from Samoa The saipo is heavily decorated both with embossed shapes and painted elements. Tapa (or saipo in Samoa) is made of the inner bark of certain trees (usually the paper mulberry) and widely used throughout the Pacific Islands for clothing and for ...

Maker: unknown

Material: tapa (bark cloth)

GUSN: 271954

Accession Number: 2006.44.3663

Tapa

Irregularly-shaped Tahitian tapa (ahu) fragment with stamped fern designs in red-brown ink. Tan ground is embossed throughout with typical Tahitian small, tightly-spaced parallel lines. Fragment was cut from a larger piece. Made in Tahiti, where tapa is known as ahu. The ahu is made of at least two ...

Maker: unknown

Material: tapa (bark cloth)

GUSN: 271956

Accession Number: 2006.44.3664

Tapa

Tapa cloth fragment from Samoa or Tonga. This fragment of tapa was cut from a larger piece and was probably part of the outer edge. Tapa is a cloth made from the inner bark of trees and is widely used in the Pacific for clothing and bedding, as well as secular, sacred, and ceremonial uses. Tongan t...

Maker: unknown

Material: tapa (bark cloth)

GUSN: 271957

Accession Number: 2006.44.3665

Kapa

Square fragment of crisp, white tapa cloth, very likely from Hawaii. The piece is very thin and heavily embossed with tightly spaced, small parallel lines that have been cross-hatched to create tiny square shapes. The fragment was cut from a larger piece of at some point. Kapa (the Hawaiian word fo...

Maker: unknown

Material: tapa (bark cloth)

GUSN: 271959

Accession Number: 2006.44.3666

Pair of Earrings

Each oval, cup-shaped earring in this pair is made from anodized brass and set with a pearl slightly off-center. The earrings attach to the ears with screws set on the back. Each earring is stamped with the maker's mark on the back.

Date: 1950-1970

Maker: Hogan & Bolas (Artist, Designer)

Material: brass (alloy), pearl (animal material)

GUSN: 271960

Accession Number: 1984.1396AB

Tapa

Tapa fragment dyed a red/brown with grooves of tightly spaced parallel lines. On one end two pieces of the cloth have been sewn together with a light colored thread using tiny stitches. Probably from Hawaii or possibly Tahiti. Tapa is known as kapa in Hawaii and ahu in Tahiti. Tapa is a cloth made f...

Maker: unknown

Material: tapa (bark cloth)

GUSN: 271961

Accession Number: 2006.44.3667

Wallpaper on plaster

Fragment of wallpaper attached to plaster. Floral and scene design with trees, potted flowers, and a fence. Printed in red, pink, two greens, two blues, taupe, and ochre on a white ground. Hung on horsehair-reenforced plaster.

Maker: unknown

Material: wallpapers, fibrous plaster, plaster, horsehair

GUSN: 271963

Accession Number: 2000.1654

Wallpaper

Five small fragments of wallpaper with large flowers. Printed in three reds, three greens, and white on a yellow ground.

Maker: unknown

Material: wallpapers

GUSN: 271964

Accession Number: 2000.1657

Paddle

Wooden paddle, possibly from the Pacific Islands. The paddle head has a raised ridge on one side and the other side is flat.

Maker: unknown

Material: wood (plant material)

GUSN: 269736

Accession Number: 2006.44.3602

Club

Heavy wooden pole club, or povai, with incised carvings on handle. From Fiji, Tonga or Samoa. This club would have been used in hand-to-hand combat.

Maker: unknown

Material: wood (plant material)

GUSN: 269737

Accession Number: 2006.44.3603

Paddle

Long, light-colored wooden paddle with carved head and pointed end, probably from the Solomon Islands. The paddle has low relief carved portions on both sides that may represent stylized albatross wings or other zoomorphic forms.

Maker: unknown

Material: wood (plant material)

GUSN: 269738

Accession Number: 2006.44.3604

Paddle

Long, light-colored wooden paddle with carved paddle head and pointed end. Probably from the Solomon Islands. The paddle head is carved on both sides in low relief with a design that is believed to represent frigate birds and other zoomorphic forms.

Maker: unknown

Material: wood (plant material)

GUSN: 269739

Accession Number: 2006.44.3605

Spear

Short wooden spear, or ihe laumake, from Hawaii, with a carved barb of tapering tiers at one end. The spear would have been used in combat for thrusting or throwing.

Maker: unknown

Material: wood (plant material)

GUSN: 269740

Accession Number: 2006.44.3606

Bow

Large wooden bow with bowstring, possibly from the Solomon Islands or Tonga. The bow is flattened and painted black on one side. The bowstring is made of what appears to be twisted hair or plant fiber. The bowstring is attached at either end with fiber that has been twisted, wrapped and covered wit...

Maker: unknown

Material: wood (plant material), hair, resin (organic material)

GUSN: 269741

Accession Number: 2006.44.3607

Spear

Hawaiian long spear, or ihe laumake. Wooden spear has a head consisting of five triple-barbed tiers and a slender, uncarved shaft. The surface is polished. The spear would have been thrust or thrown.

Maker: unknown

Material: wood (plant material)

GUSN: 269742

Accession Number: 2006.44.3608

Club (Patu onewa)

Maori (New Zealand/Aotearoa) short club or patu onewa, hand-held club made of grey-green stone. Club has a spatula-shaped blade polished to an edge. There are three parallel lines carved at the base of the handle with a hole above that would have originally had a flax or dogskin loop that wrapped ar...

Maker: unknown

Material: stone (rock), string (fiber product)

GUSN: 269743

Accession Number: 2006.44.3609

Sword

Wooden sword edged with shark teeth from the Gilbert Islands of Kiribati. The Gilbert Islands are known for making a wide range of shark-toothed weapons for use in ritual combat. This sword would have been used to stab and cut during hand-to-hand combat.

Maker: unknown

Material: wood (plant material), tooth

GUSN: 269744

Accession Number: 2006.44.3610

Club

A heavy wooden club - or bovai - with incised carvings over entire body, likely from Fiji. The club is slightly curved from the base of the handle to the head. The club is probably from Fiji, although there are similiar examples from Samoa and Tonga as well. The club would have been used in hand-to-...

Maker: unknown

Material: wood (plant material)

GUSN: 269745

Accession Number: 2006.44.3611

Slit Drum

Small wooden slit or gong drum, probably of Pacific Island origin. The body of the drum is carved from a single piece of wood and polished, but the ends are unfinished.

Date: 1976-2000

Maker: unknown

Material: wood (plant material)

GUSN: 269746

Accession Number: 2006.44.3612

Bowl

Double-pointed wooden kava bowl likely from Vanuatu, in an elongated oblong shape with pointed ends. The bowl is serrated along the pointed ends and the serrations run about a quarter of the way down each side of the bowl. The drinking of kava has important religous, ceremonial and cultural signific...

Maker: unknown

Material: wood (plant material)

GUSN: 269747

Accession Number: 2006.44.3613

Club

Wooden club with large bird-head shape (porowa ra aru), from New Caledonia. The club head has a large, beak-like projection on one end and a small hooded projection off the other. These clubs, most likely ceremonial, were visual symbols of rank and wealth, and were owned by men of the chiefly class...

Maker: unknown

Material: wood (plant material)

GUSN: 269748

Accession Number: 2006.44.3614

Paddle

Intricately carved small paddle fron the Austral Islands. Incised carving covers the entire paddle, including characteristic Austral Island "starburst" designs. The base of the handle is encircled with stylized human figures. This paddle was most likely made for trade with early visitors to the isla...

Maker: unknown

Material: wood (plant material)

GUSN: 269749

Accession Number: 2006.44.3615

Bowl with Handle

Carved and polished wooden bowl with doweled handle extending from just below the rim of the bowl. The bowl has a flat edge. Likely from the Pacific Islands.

Maker: unknown

Material: wood (plant material)

GUSN: 269760

Accession Number: 2006.44.3616

Kava Bowl

Carved wooden kava bowl in an elongated oblong shape tapering to two pointed ends. Probably from Vanuatu. Kava is a drink used throughout the Pacific Islands for sacred, ceremonial and social purposes.

Maker: unknown

Material: wood (plant material)

GUSN: 269761

Accession Number: 2006.44.3617

Lei

Hawaiian multi-colored feather lei with yellow silk ribbons at either end. The feathers on this lei lay flat and tight along the horizontal, with yellow, red and green bands of feathers. Tradtionally, the lei would have been worn by high-status - or ali'i - women.

Maker: unknown

Material: feather (material)

GUSN: 269762

Accession Number: 2006.44.3618

Lei

A yellow feather lei from Hawaii with yellow silk ribbons at either end. The feathers lie flat and tight along the horizontal. Traditionally, feathered leis would have been worn by women of high status, known as ali'i.

Maker: unknown

Material: feather (material), silk (textile), yarn

GUSN: 269763

Accession Number: 2006.44.3619

Lei

Hawaiian feather lei made of fluffy yellow feathers and a yellow ribbon at either end. Traditionally, feather leis would have been worn only by women of the noble class, known as the ali'i. Purchased in 1922 by Stephen W. Phillips.

Maker: unknown

Material: feather (material), silk (textile), yarn

GUSN: 269764

Accession Number: 2006.44.3620

Bowl

Carved wooden bowl from the Marquesan Islands, exterior covered with typical Marquesan designs of triangles, concentric squares, six-petaled flower. Interior of bowl is unadorned. The bowl would have been used in everyday life.

Maker: unknown

Material: wood (plant material)

GUSN: 269765

Accession Number: 2006.44.3621

Bowl

Carved wooden bowl with footed base, from the Marquesan Islands. Bowl is extensively carved with both traditional and non-traditional design motifs, concentric arches, triangles, and ovals. Interior is unadorned. Most likely made for the tourist trade.

Maker: unknown

Material: wood (plant material)

GUSN: 269766

Accession Number: 2006.44.3622

Dish

Boat-shaped carved dish or kava bowl, front has bands of carved edges and the back has a bracket with two holes for hanging. Carved from a solid piece of wood. From Fiji, Samoa or Tonga, used to hold kava. Kava is a drink used for sacred, ceremonial and social purposes throughout the Pacific Island...

Maker: unknown

Material: wood (plant material)

GUSN: 269767

Accession Number: 2006.44.3623

Pair of Bookends

Pair of Maori (from New Zealand/ Aotearoa) carved wooden figures with shell eyes.The two figures are crudely carved but incorporate Maori design motifs of a three-fingered hand, protruding tongue, and shell eyes. These figures were made for the tourist trade and may have been bookends.

Maker: unknown

Material: wood (plant material)

GUSN: 269768

Accession Number: 2006.44.3624

Necklace

Long necklace of tiny white shells ('ei pupu) from the Cook Islands. 'Ei pupu are made from the yellow or brown shells of a snail, with the shells frequently boiled or soaked to bleach white. These necklaces are given as gifts and are not widely available outside of the Cook Islands.

Maker: unknown

Material: shell (animal material)

GUSN: 269771

Accession Number: 2006.44.3625

Seed Necklace

Necklace of red brown disk shaped seeds.

Maker: unknown

Material: seed

GUSN: 269772

Accession Number: 2006.44.3626

Necklace

Necklace of strung gray, white and brown seeds known as "Job's Tears." Job's Tears are native to Asia but have spread widely across the world. There are examples of objects incorporating the seeds in many different cultures, including the Pacific Islands.

Maker: unknown

Material: seed

GUSN: 269773

Accession Number: 2006.44.3627

Portrait of Jane Watson Pepperrell (1701-1765)

Portrait of Jane Watson Pepperrell. Three-quarter length portrait of a woman with dark brown hair and eyes wearing a brown printed dress with white lace collar and cuffs. Sitter has on gold drop earrings and is holding a piece of fruit. Wood frame.

Date: 1707-1713

Maker: unknown

Material: oil paint (paint), canvas

GUSN: 270127

Accession Number: 1966.241

Cameo brooch

Oval cameo brooch, carved floral design in center with a rose and a tulip. Pale peach colored background, floral design in white. Gold mount.

Date: 1850-1880

Maker: unknown

Material: conch (shell), gold (metal)

GUSN: 270235

Accession Number: 2012.117.1

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