Description

Painted miniature canoe paddle.

Longer Description

Painted miniature canoe paddle. The paddle has been carved from a single piece of wood, likely cedar. The handle of the paddle is rounded, and then becomes flat and widens slightly before tapering in and forming a long, rounded shaft. The handle may have some black paint on the very top. On one side, there is a brick red line painted where the handle widens slightly. Below this is an unpainted V-shaped section, with black paint on either side and below the V. On the reverse, the red paint fills the entire V-shape and is surrounded by black paint. The shaft is unpainted. Where the blade begins, the paddle flattens and widens to 28 mm. The end is rounded in a semi-circular shape, but angles more severely to meet the widest point of the blade. On the side of the paddle with the red line and unpainted V-section, the blade is decorated with a thick black line where it beings, followed by an unpainted section, and then another thicker black section. There is an unpainted triangular section, followed by two angled black lines and an eye, outlined in black and in characteristic formline design. There is a small brick red outline to one side of the eye. On the reverse, the blade is decorated with a thin red. The end of the blade is decorated with characteristic formline shapes in black, including a prominent ovoid. There is a small triangular brick red outline near the ovoid. [CAK 30/04/2009]

Primary Documentation

Accession Book Entry - Mr J.T. Hooper ... Littlemore, Oxon - [1 of] 3 miniature painted canoe-paddles, HAIDA, N.W. AMERICA. ... Pd by cheque 4 June 1928 £7-5-6

There is no further information on the catalogue card. [CW 8 6 98]

Written on object - HAIDA Pur. 4.6.1928 [CAK 30/04/2009]

Related Documents File [James Thomas Hooper, Catalogue of Ethnographical Material] - The museum has a photocopy of Hooper's accession and dispersal records, which are bound as two volumes and kept in a separate box file. Items are arranged according to Hooper's own numbering system [RTS 21/11/2003].

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

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 paddle was viewed alongside other paddles on Tuesday Sept 15, 2009. Delegates thought this was a model paddle made for play, especially as it showed marks of wear. It was suggested that all the miniature paddles viewed were models, or used for play. Christian White thought this looked like a model steering paddle because of the width and curved blade. Candace Weir also mimed spooning something into her mouth with this spoon, as well as 1928.59.29 - .30. See also 1928.59.28 and 1928.59.30. [CAK 18/05/2010]