Grandmother and Grandchild with Iroquois beaded bag, ca. 1845

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Daguerreotype of young girl with Iroquois beaded bag and grandmother, ca. 1845

This is the earliest known Daguerreotype of someone with a Niagara style bag. In this recently found image, the style of the young girl’s dress along with its tight sleeves, elongated bodice, and shallow V neckline date this rare image to the 1843-1845 period. Unlike many daguerreotypes from the mid-nineteenth century where the sitters wore their most fashionable outfits, these seem like plain folks.  The older woman’s dress is very unfashionable for the period and was likely just a generic house/work dress with a shapeless, practical jacket. The bag must have been a prized possession.

Via: Iroquois beadwork

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