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Description

Horn ladle with local repair made from copper alloy on the spoon. There is a small perforation in the handle [ZM 14/11/2005]

Longer Description

Horn ladle with local repair made from copper alloy on the spoon. There is a small perforation in the handle. The bowl is deep and rounded. At the front of the bowl is a repair made from a copper alloy plate that is bent over the edge of the bowl and affixed with three rivets. The handle is flat and wide at the bottom, but tapers as it extends upwards. The tip of the handle is deeper than it is wide and comes to a point at the top. The tip may be a representation of a bird. The grain of the horn is visible throughout the spoon. The spoon is a brown colour.

Primary Documentation

Accession book entry (for 1891.49.57 - .61): 'From Rev. Ch. Harrison, 80 Halton Rd, Canonbury Sq. N. Collection of Haida objects collected by him.... - [1 of] 5 horn ladles. £45. [Purchase price includes 1891.49.1-110]

No additional information on catalogue cards. [JC 4 9 1996]

Written on object - HAIDA. B. COLUMBIA C. Harrison coll. Purchased 1891. [CAK 05/05/2009]

Related Documents File - The Haida Project Related Documents File contains video of research sessions and interviews with Haida delegates from September 2009 as part of the project ‘Haida Material Culture in British Museums: Generating New Forms of Knowledge'. It also includes post-visit communications that discuss object provenance. For extensive photographic, video, and textual records documenting the Haida research visit as a whole, including but not limited to preparations of objects for handling, travel logistics, British Museum participation, transcribed notes from research sessions and associated public events held at PRM, see the Haida Project Digital Archive, stored with the Accessions Registers. Original hand-written notes taken during research sessions have been accessioned into the Manuscripts collection, in addition to select other materials. [CAK 02/06/2010]

Research Notes

There appears to be resin underneath the metal repair. Spruce pitch and fish-based glues were common materials for local repairs on Haida Gwaii. [CAK 05/05/2009]
The following information comes from Haida delegates who worked with the museum's collection in September 2009 as part of the project “Haida Material Culture in British Museums: Generating New Forms of Knowledge”:
This spoon was viewed alongside other horn and wood spoons on Wednesday Sept 9, 2009. Kwiaahwah Jones identified the material as Mountain sheep horn. A similarly shaped spoon [1891.49.59] was identified as a serving spoon used by chiefs. Perforations on other spoons were said to allow the spoon to be hung on a wall when not in use.
In response to horn spoons more generally, delegates made a number of comments on their construction, use and related information. It was noted that when the bowl of the spoon and handle sections are joined, each part is often made from different types of horn. The bowl of the spoon tends to be made from mountain sheep horn and the handle from mountain goat horn. The greenish hue on some of the horn spoons received interest. It was proposed that the discolouration of the darker mountain goat horn to a green hue could be the result of UV damage. The copper used to repair or join parts of spoons also received a lot of interest. Haidas noted that copper is a sign of wealth and thus would be used on spoons of wealth. Replacement rivets were identified as being made of a copper alloy such as brass, and signs of copper corrosion were identified. The irregular shape of a number of the bowls of spoons was likely a factor of being placed in too hot of a soup. The scoop can lose its shape if overheated. At the same time, the scoop can be re-formed using the same techniques as when it was first made. Goat horn spoons were traded between nations in the Pacific Northwest. And European traders first arriving in the region observed blankets woven from mountain goat fur. A recurring mark on a number of spoons and bowls – an incised circle with a central dot – could possibly represent an octopus emblem (especially if found on shamanic items) or could be a maker's mark. [CAK 18/03/2010]

Item History

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