beaded napkin ring, unrecorded Ndee or Diné artist

Exhibition Label: “Conversation IV: Construction/Destruction,” Nov-2008, Bertram Lyons These loom-beaded bracelets are in very good condition with no loss of beads. The threads at the ends of the bracelets are permanently tied together. As each bracelet forms a complete but flexible circle, it cannot be stored flat without folding the weaving. Because these bracelets were previously stored flat for many years, several of them have permanent creases where the cotton threads were bent. The bracelets have been supported with rolled strips of foam to prevent further damage to the threads and placed in a divided tray to minimize handling. The archival blue cardboard tray and foam dividers you see represent the way we currently store these bracelets when they are not on view. Typically, if we were to display one of the bracelets it would be shown wrapped around a cylinder covered with dark velvet.