This is an elegant beaded bird perched on the stem/vine of a lovely flower w/leaf.  Made by Mohawk bead artist Paul St John - it is current but looks like it had been made by Paul's great grandmother - 125 years ago or more.  -  Paul was taught Iroquois beading by his Mohawk grandmother, Amelia St John - who had been taught by Paul's great grandmother - who learned from her mother - Paul's great-great grandmother.   -  So the design and technique are both quite traditional Iroquois work.....  

The glass seed beads used as the border for the entire barrette and for the vine and most of the bird are "silver heart" clear beads and are quite old.  Silver heart means that the clear glass beads have at their center a "heart" of silver which gives them an extremely sparkly/shimmering appearance... catching the light almost like diamonds.  The white beads are opalescent and also vintage.  The bird's eye is a larger transparent amber color bead and it's beak is transparent gold seed beads.   These beads and many more were recently given to Paul by his aunt - who gave Paul boxes of beads that had belonged to her mother (Paul's grandmother Amelia) and more boxes belonging to Paul's great-grandmother.  So these beads are vintage - some could about 150 years old.  The velvet used here is also vintage, about 100 years old.  It is a luscious plum color.  The backing is a very soft tanned deer hide.  The center between velvet and deerhide backing is also very soft - and light.  Entire barrette is quite soft, light and flexible.

It is oval - 5.75" long and 4" at highest/center.  The barrette clasp on back is 3" long.

If you wear this - it will feel feather light - it will catch the light - it will be elegant, spectacular and very unique.  -  You could also display it - in a frame - or  in a shadow box ... or  - sew it on a pillow, a backpack or ...  
 
Paul also makes necklaces with beaded medallions and different types of beaded barrettes - -  recently I have had bear, bears' head, eagle head, eagle, hummingbird, beaver, turtle, wolfs' head and great blue heron, chickadee, floral  and more  beaded medallion necklaces  None quite like this traditional Iroquois bird - tho I hope to have many more similar to this in months/years to come.  . I believe as I list this there is currently wolf's head, a crow's head, a more intricately designed loon,  a blue jay,  a bear's head, a turtle and and other beaded necklaces available in this eBay store.  If not or if you are interested in a type mentioned but not currently available - watch this store -  I get more items from Paul about every 2 weeks and I never know what he has been working on until I get them......

Paul St. John lives in Maine, his mother was Passamaquoddy/MicMac/Maliseet. Paul is a registered Mohawk who grew up on the Mohawk lands in New York, his father's homeland. He has been doing beadwork, baskets, birchbark work, dolls, quill and leather work for over 40 years.  He does so many types of crafts and does them all well!   Last photo is of Paul.

While porcupine quill and beadwork are historically Maine Indian traditional crafts, not many Maine Indian craftspeople currently working use both quill and beads.