Birdskin parka - Atkuk
Alaska State Museum > Alaska State Museum Alutiiq/Sugpiaq Ethnographic Collection
2015-10-1
Hide;Fur;Feather
Height: 30"
Width: 30"
19th century
Gift of David Lodge. George Henry Cooke purchased the feather parka in 1867 in Alaska while serving with the U.S. Navy aboard the ship USS Resaca. Cooke’s daughter, Miriam Virginia Cooke Spratling, acquired the parka by inheritance from her father. MVC Spratling’s’s grand-daughter (mother of donor), Sarah Virginia Kirkwood Lodge, inherited it from her grandmother. David Lodge, donor, inherited the parka from his mother.
Parka is made from tufted puffins skins and sealskin trim with decorative woven ribbon at cuffs and hem. This parka has no hood, decorative ribbon along with sealskin trim around cuffs and at hem. Dyed red false hem on inside of hem on the bottom inside of parka. There are two tags sewn on the garment, the first tag is sewn onto the proper right sleeve reading: " Fur Dept - John Wanamaker - Storage: 11377, Name: Geo Cook, Address: (possibly reads) Really Park, Bird Coat, Date: 4/19/1909". Second tag reads: " Sitka Alaska, Winter of 1867 and 68. Cruise of the USS Resaca - Pacific Station 1866: 67, 68".
Parka is made from tufted puffins skins and sealskin trim with decorative woven ribbon at cuffs and hem. This parka has no hood, decorative ribbon along with sealskin trim around cuffs and at hem. Dyed red false hem on inside of hem on the bottom inside of parka. There are two tags sewn on the garment, the first tag is sewn onto the proper right sleeve reading: " Fur Dept - John Wanamaker - Storage: 11377, Name: Geo Cook, Address: (possibly reads) Really Park, Bird Coat, Date: 4/19/1909". Second tag reads: " Sitka Alaska, Winter of 1867 and 68. Cruise of the USS Resaca - Pacific Station 1866: 67, 68".