Model Totem Pole

Item number Nb9.63 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Description

Model pole with a frog, raven, bear and human wearing shaman's headdress (bottom to top). Back has been hollowed out slightly.

Narrative

The cultural attribution for this piece has been uncertain since it was acquired. Richardson said he collected it in Bella Coola, and Bill Holm thought it could be from the central coast. However other curators and artists had noted the headdress being carved in a Tlingit style. In 2019 Christopher Smith attributed the pole to Samuel Elwitt, a Tsimshian carver. In particular he said this pole is related to the style of production of the Museum of Vancouver spoon (AA 777), a beaver hat in the American Museum of Natural History (16.1/369), and several model poles (VII-C-331, VII-C-334, VII-C-335) at the Canadian Museum of History.