Vintage Micmac Shirt Deerskin Leather Mi’kmaq Newfoundland

This is a beautiful quality shirt made by the Micmac Arts & Crafts Co-operative of Conne River, Bay d’Espoir Newfoundland.  This Micmac shirt is artisan made using suede leather and leather lacing.  I believe that the suede is deerskin - it is very soft and has a very attractive finish in a yellowish brown colour.  The suede leather is fairly thick, so the piece has a certain weight to it.  It is made in a pullover style and is styled like a shirt worn by a frontiersman with a pointy collar, lace-up neckline and lacing at either bottom side.  The Micmac Arts & Crafts Co-operative was active from 1976 to 1978 in Conne River, Glenwood and Bay St. George, and then re-opened in 1980 in Conne River only.  I’m unsure how much longer that the co-operative lasted, but I believe that this shirt most likely dates to the early 1980s.    

Sizing: No size is indicated on this Micmac made shirt, and although it should fit a size large, about a men’s US size 42 - please rely on the following measurements for fit taking the thickness of the leather and the fact that it has to be pulled over the head into account:

Shoulders:  20” across seams

Sleeves:  25 1/2” from the shoulder seam

Sleeve Inseam:  18 1/2”

Chest: 48” around, 24” pit-to-pit

Waist: 42” 

Bottom:  46”

Length: 29 1/2” taken from the neck seam

Condition:  This Micmac made shirt is in excellent condition except for a tiny slit (3/16”) defect at the bottom back left, original to the making of the piece and really minor - otherwise, it looks like it was bought and never worn.

This is a great suede leather Micmac shirt - excellent quality, handmade, a wonderful  on this  made shirt!