Niagara Heart Shaped Pin Cushion- Whimsy- Haudenosaunee (Iroquois)

Description

Heart-shaped Pin Cushion whimsy on worn purple velvet. This type of vintage pin cushion is from the Niagara Falls souvenir tradition sold by Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) people beginning in the 1830s into the 1900s.  It is 5″H x 6″L x 2.5″W. There are two leaves on the left with green, blue, and clear beads along with gray basket beads.  On the right, the bead work is of blue, pink, and clear beads. There are slight breaks in the bead work among the leaves. Some of the edge beading, dangles, and all ribbon is missing.  The pillow is intact with no breaks in the back. The flower design in the middle of clear beads and the beads around the velvet are intact and accentuate the historical beauty of the piece.