Scholars think this shirt is one of about 23 in existance worldwide. One reason for it’s rarity is the unique quillwork technique, known as double bundle quill wrapped horsehair, used on the shirt’s decorative shoulder strips. Most of these shirts are relatively old, dating from 1830-1850.

I chose this shirt because the style and quilling techniques are very rare, and because it is what I consider a “masterpiece” in our collection. The woman who made this shirt was an exceptional artist.
-Tilly Laskey, Curator of Ethnology