An elegantly new version of a Iroquois beaded hanging bird whimsey in traditional form by Paul St John, Mohawk!  This new Iroquois beaded bird by Mohawk craftsman, Paul St John has been made in the traditional shape with beaded design using vintage black velvet and antique glass clear gold heart beads (in 2 sizes) with various other vintage beads. 

Paul generally uses vintage beads in his work - but recently an elderly aunt gave him boxes of beads that she had used in her work.  These included beads that had been her mother's (Paul's grandmother) ... and also beads that had been her grandmother's (Paul's great-grandmother).  Some of these beads are well over 125 years old.  

 Paul has crafted this hanging bird whimsey using the materials and techniques  - and some of the designs that his ancestors did to make similar bird whimseys as long as 145 years ago.  Vintage Iroquois hanging bird whimseys are among the most sought after, hardest to find collectable Iroquois beaded "whimsies".    

This bird is 9" long beak to end of tail.  Widest is 4.5" across at midtail, it is 4.5" high from bottom of bird to tip of up-stretched wing - Double bead strand hanger (twined) extends 3" above wings.  Bird has 2 bead dangles in its beak - these are 1.75" long and there are large white heart clear red beads at bottom.

The gold heart clear seed beads that are used to outline the bird's body, wings and tail are very shiny/sparkly.  Gold heart and other clear beads with various interior colors (red heart, green heart, silver heart etc)... were made in the 1880s, perhaps even earlier.  Much Iroquois beadwork made during the late 1800's- early 1900's used those clear beads with colored interiors/hearts - but I have rarely seen these beautiful gold heart beads -  there are larger gold heart clear beads on the bird's body ..  And on the wings and tail are larger opalescent pale blue beads - these beads are used for bird's eyes as well.  At the ends of the designs on the wings and tail are medium size iridescent peacock color beads - varying in color from purple to green - changing as the light hits them.  
 
While the size, shape and materials used may be the same as Paul's ancestors made; the colors and design on wings and tail are not -  The combination of black velvet (used traditionally) with the clear gold heart - opalescent blue and iridescent peacock make this a more current sophisticated version of the traditional "bird whimsey" -  


Paul St. John now lives in Maine, near his mother's  Passamaquoddy/Maliseet/Micmac relatives.  He is an enrolled Mohawk and grew up on the Mohawk lands in New York, his father's tribe.   2nd from last photo in slideshow is of Paul St John and 2 of his other works.  Last photo is of his Mohawk grandmother, Amelia St John who taught him beading.

Paul St John also makes birchbark, porcupine and coiled sweetgrass baskets, beaded knife cases, barrettes and moccasins among numerous other traditional crafts - check out more of his work in this ebay store.