Holdings Alumni Association Alumni Lester Leutwiler Chief Illi... Finding Aid Title: Lester Leutwiler Chief Illiniwek Headdress and Costume Accessories
ID: 26/20/262
Primary Creator: Lester Leutwiler (1907-1993)
Extent: 3.5 cubic feet
Arrangement: Unarranged
Date Acquired: 06/17/2024
This collection contains pieces from Lester Leutwiler's University of Illinois Chief costume, including the headdress and other accessories.
Lester Leutwiler was born on April 1, 1907. He grew up in Urbana, Illinois and attended Urbana High School. His father worked at the University of Illinois as both a Professor and the Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Leutwiler was an Eagle Scout where he learned about Native American Culture. He took a great interest in the subject and learned about "Fancy Dance", a Plains Indian style of dance. He also attended a camp in Mount Elbert Colorado where he created a Native American headdress with the help of camp runner, Ralph Hubbard. This would become the headdress used in Leutwiler's Chief performances. Leutwiler attended the University of Illinois and received a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Due to his knowledge of Native American culture and dance, the director of the marching band, Ray Dvorak, invited Leutwiler to debut the Chief. The first performance took place in a halftime show for a football game against the University of Pennsylvania on October 3, 1926. He performed as the Chief from 1926 to 1928, graduating in 1929. He passed away in February of 1993.
Accession number: 2024.26.20.262.15
Physical condition: Good/Fair
Material composition: Wool felt, leather, fabric, sinew, beads, metal, thread
Description: Length of canvas like green fabric with red fabric bias strip sewn with thick cord along one length of green fabric, each end of the green fabric has red fabric bias strips stitched on, with the lower end containig fringe. A thick strip of flat gray cord is stitched to the green length of fabric to create a "sash". Bead and fringe work is located on the top and middle portion of the "sash". Quiver is stitched to sash with thick cord and red bias strips. Quicer is made from green canvas-like fabric, constructed into a "tube". A red bias strip is sewn along one long edge with a thick cord and thick fringe. The top of the quiver has a red bias strip and a rectangular bead work patter with fringe on the bottom. The bottom of the quiver has a red bias strip and long fringe, much like the long edge. A beaded cross patter is also located towards the bottom of the quiver.
Measurement: 140 cm
Measurement: 140 cm
Accession number: 2024.26.20.262.01
Physical condition: Fair
Material composition: Calfskin; glass beads; metal; feathers
Size 12 moccasin Calfskin moccasin with lane stitch glass beading, made in the style of Sioux Native Americans. Beadwork design features a white and light blue background with red, black, and orange triangles. Calfskin thong wrapped around the outside of the back piece of the moccasin. Two beaded straps extending from the vamp (top piece). One strap has two metal tassels on the end, one of which has small dyed purple feathers on the end. Beads are missing at the toe. Acquired by Lester Leutwiler at the 1924 Boy Scout Jamboree in Denmark.
Measurement: 30 cm
Accession number: 2024.26.20.262.02
Physical condition: Fair
Material composition: Calfskin; glass beads; metal; feathers
Size 12 moccasin featuring a calfskin moccasin with lane stitch glass beading, made in the style of Sioux Native Americans. Beadwork design features a white and light blue background with red, black, and orange triangles. Calfskin thong wrapped around the outside of the back piece of the moccasin. Two beaded straps extending from the vamp (top piece). One strap has two metal tassels on the end and the other strap has one metal tassel. Beads are missing at the toe. According to family history, it was acquired by Lester Leutwiler at the 1924 Boy Scout Jamboree in Denmark in a bartering agreement.
Measurement: 29.5 cm
Accession Number: 2024.26.20.262.08
Physical Condition: Fair
Material Composition: Calfskin, glass beads, metal, feathers
Description: Calfskin leather strap with glass lane stitch beading, made in the style of Sioux Native Americans. One end of the strap is folded and stapled to be made shorter. The armband is fastened into a loop with calfskin cords. Beadwork design features a white background with red, black, and blue triangles and a red and blue border. There are metal tassels with dyed pink feathers on the end tied along the length of the cords. Based on the similarity of between the design of the armbands and the moccasins, it was likely acquired by Lester Leutwiler at the 1924 Boy Scout Jamboree in Denmark.
Measurement: 38 cm
Accession Number: 2024.26.20.262.09
Physical Condition: Fair
Material Composition: Calfskin, glass beads, metal, feathers
Description: Calfskin leather strap with glass lane stitch beading, made in the style of Sioux Native Americans. One end of the strap is folded and stapled to be made shorter. The armband is fastened into a loop with calfskin cords. Beadwork design features a white background with red, black, and blue triangles and a red and blue border. There are metal tassels with dyed pink feathers on the end tied along the length of the cords. Based on the similarity of between the design of the armbands and the moccasins, it was likely acquired by Lester Leutwiler at the 1924 Boy Scout Jamboree in Denmark.
Measurement: 38 cm
Accession number: 2024.26.20.262.14
Condition: Fair
Material: Turkey feather (two), unidentified feather, thread, felt, porcupine guard hair, white-tail deer tail hair, steel cord and bracketing, bone baseplate (roach spreader), leather cords, twine, cotton string, canvas
Description: the base of each large turkey feather is wrapped in red felt and matching red thread, settled into a bone socket and secured with leather cord and steel brackets wrapped in metal wire. There is one unidentified feather at the front of the roach. The roach is to be secured to the head with leather ties near the front and rear of the headpiece. The base of the porcupine hair is dyed red and partially covered by the deer tail hair. The underside of the roach is secured by twine, sewn into the porcupine and white-tail deer hair.
Measurement: 25.5 cm long, 37 cm tall
Accession number: 2024.26.20.262.04
Condition: Good
Material: Tin
Description: A metallic face powder container with green and orange coloration. Floral imagery adorns the lid and the body. The item includes the text (in order from top of the lid to the bottom): "A Stein's Make-Up Product", "Stein's Face Powder", "Manufactured By The Stein Cosmetic CO. New York", "For The Stage - For the Boudoir", and "To Open Turn". There is a key on the bottom with various skin colors. The item is marked with the number 15, indicating that it is a powder which replicates an "Indian" skin type.
Measurement: 10.5cm
Accession Number: 2024.26.20.262.05
Condition: Fair
Material: Paper, glass beads, string, unidentified feathers, beading hook, needle, unidentified blunt object
Description: A sewing kit containing sewing equipment and beads. The kit bag includes calligraphic text (in order from top to bottom) "Aux Galeries Lafayette Paris", "Maison Vendant Le Meilleur Marche De Tout", "Succursales | Nice| Lyon | Londres", and " Comptoir de lacet et bouton" on the front label. The text "Aux Galeries Lafayette Paris" is repeated, also in calligraphic text, around the borders of the kit. Stylistic initials of "GL" are also included on the flap, which has a hole with string in it. Items in the interior of the kit include loose scraps of paper, beads on string, a small needle, an approx. 04 mm beading hook, two unidentified partial feathers, and an unidentified object with two blunt, angled ends
Measurement: 17cm
Accession Number: 2024.26.20.262.31
Condition: Good
Material: Photo paper, matte board
Description: A c-print photograph depicting Mike Gonzalez, the 21st Chief, performing a dance dressed in his chief regalia*. Photo was taken by Richard E. Brooks. A label containing information about the chief tradition and photo productino notes is located on the obverse side. Matte displays fasing along edges on both front and back indicating it was once mounted in a frame. Books' signature is written in the lower right of the matte, below the photograph.
Measurement: 23 by 24cm mounted in a 33 by 46cm matte
*Please note that the clothes worn by Gonzalez are not the same clothes contained in this collection, which were worn by Lester Leutwiler.
Accession Number: 2024.26.20.262.32
Condition: Good
Material: Oak wood, electrical tape, cotton
Description: An oak wood handle that appears to be reclaimed from a premanufactured item. One end contains a bundle of cotton wrapped in black electrical tape. Appears to have a slight taper down the handle from the head of the beater.
Measurement: 51cm in length
Accession Number: 2024.26.20.262.33
Condition: Good
Material: Cedar wood, calf skin, snake skin, steel nails
Description: A drum made of cedar wood held together with steel nails. Drum has snake skin wrapped around the center portion that appears to be flaking. Each head of the drum is made from stretched calfskin and bound with strips of calfskin to tighten the heads to the drum. Remnants of animal hair can be found still attached to calfskin. The drum heads differ slightly in size, creating a slight taper to the drum. The larger head contains a depiction of a bison skull. A yellowish brown circle covered partially by two half circles; one dark red, one white, with a straight white/gray line marking the flat edge of the half circles. A dark red zig-zag arrow continues perpendicular from the straight white/gray line.
Drum measures 34 by 34 by 31 cm.
Accession Number: 2024.26.20.262.36
Condition: Poor/Fair
Materials: Horse hair, paper-wrapped metal wire, cotton twine
Description: The paper-wrapped metal wire is formed in a circle, with cotton twine wrapped around to make two triangles to hold the lock of horse hair in place. The horse hair is secured by a cotton twine wrap and hangs down about an inch from the circle.
Accession Number: 2024.26.20.262.37
Condition: Poor/Fair
Material: Horse hair, paper-wrapped metal wire, cotton twine
Description: The paper-wrapped metal wire is formed in a circle with cotton twine wrapped around to made two triangles to hold the lock of horse hair into place. The horse hair is secured by a cotton twine wrap. The cotton twine wrap around the horse hair is level with the metal circle.
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