Paul Kane's painting showing a young woman wearing many brooches is evidence of their popularity. Travelers' accounts indicate that it was fashionable to wear row upon row of them, quantity being a status symbol, particularly among the women. It has been suggested that this fashion was adopted from the German women of 18th century America who are reported to have worn brooches in similar quantities. There exists, however, no real evidence of this connection.
Courtesy: National Film Board of Canada. From a painting by Paul Kane now in the collection of the Stark Foundation, Orange, Texas.
