Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object ID # |
1961.027.010ab |
Object Name |
Jar, Cosmetic |
Title |
Ceramic Salve Box |
Lexicon category |
3: Personal Artifacts |
Date |
pre-1865 |
Year Range from |
1800 |
Year Range to |
1865 |
Artist |
Unidentified pottery |
Made |
Unknown |
Place of Origin |
England, United Kingdom? |
Description |
Unglazed ceramic two-piece rouge pot or round salve box. There is a matching item (see 1961.027.011ab). It is made of a fine, unglazed bisque-like ceramic. It has a smooth texture on the exterior and interior, and a light beige colouration to the clay. No colours have been added to it. The convex round lid loosely sits on the top, and has a decorative pattern moulded into it. - -The lid overhangs the pot, and is convex and fitted. It has an embossed, circular leafy design molded into its top surface. -There is no maker's identification. |
Makers mark |
None |
Provenance |
The precise age of this item is unknown, but it is likely from Europe or England. It was originally owned by Catharine B. Sutton, who was an Ojibwa (Anishnaabe) woman who married an Englishman, William Sutton, in 1839, at the Credit River Mission (a Wesleyan Methodist mission that was assisting Ojibwa families). The Suttons had moved their family from the Credit River area to what would later be known as Grey County in the mid 1840s, in order to assist the Newash Ojibwa band with missionary work. The Newash Band gave Mrs. Sutton and her heirs a quantity of land in what later became Sarawak Township, Canada West. When an 1857 land treaty with the Crown occurred, Mrs. Sutton was in jeopardy of losing her land, as she could not legally obtain title, as she was an "Indian", and could not even purchase it at auction. This injustice, and others, led her to becoming a spokesperson for her people. She was elected by the Council at Rama to be their envoy to England in order to speak to Queen Victoria about the unfair situation for indigineous people in Canada West. Mrs. Sutton was of the Eagle Totem and was born circa 1824 and raised at the Credit Indian Mission (near the Credit River near Lake Ontario). Her name "Nahneebahweequay" meant "Upright Woman" or "black squirrel". Mrs. Sutton died in September of 1865, at her log home in Sarawak Township, Grey County. She and Mr. Sutton still had young children to raise when she died. Her mother assisted Mr. Sutton after she passed away, as did Miss Catherine Sutton, the eldest daughter. The item was passed down in the family, eventually belonging to Mrs. Catherine Morgan (née Staves) of Brantford, Ontario, who was a grand-daughter of Catharine and William Sutton. Catherine Staves was married to Reverend Alfred Morgan. Alfred Morgan was the last owner of this item. Catherine Staves and Alfred Morgan were married at Toronto on August 14, 1906. Catherine Staves was the daughter of Joseph Staves (a cooper), and Sophia Staves (née Sutton). Sophia Staves had died of consumption in Sarawak Township on May 17, 1875, and Mr. William Sutton raised his grandchildren, Catherine Staves (b. 18__) and her brother, William Percy Staves (b. April 10, 1875) in Sarawak Township. |
Collection |
First Nations, Sutton Collection |
Material |
Ceramic |
Dimensions |
H-2.5 Dia-3.7 cm |
Found |
Brantford, Ontario |
People |
Sutton, Catharine Sutton, Catherine Morgan, Catherine Morgan, Alfred Sutton, Albert |
Subjects |
Ceramic industries Containers First Nations of Central Canada Cosmetics & soap |
Search Terms |
Sarawak Township Ojibwa (Anishnaabe, Anishnibeg) |
Function |
Likely once held a cosmetic or salve or ointment of some kind, but would also be useful for holding tiny objects. |