Argillite Totem Pole Model

Item number E13145-0 from the National Museum of Natural History.

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Notes

FROM CARD: "THIS SPECIMEN BELIEVED TO BE THE #13146 ILLUS. IN BARBEAU'S "HAIDA MYTHS ILLUS. IN ARGILLITE CARVINGS," NMC #127, P.283 [PL. 250]. UNFORTUNATELY THE INFORMATION ON THE BASE OF THE TOTEM POLE MODEL IS NOT IN AGREEMENT. AN AUTHORITY ON THE ART HISTORY OF 'EDENSAW'S WORK MIGHT BE ABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF CONFLICTING DATES. THE CONFLICTING DATA [WHICH IS WRITTEN ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BASE OF THE TOTEM POLE MODEL] IS AS FOLLOWS: "SLATE TOTEM POLE (MINIATURE) CARVED BY CHARLEY EDENSAU [A.K.A. CHARLES EDENSHAW] SON OF CHIEF OF VILLAGE ON NORTON ISLAND, QUEEN CHARLOTTE GROUP. BOUGHT OF EDENSAU AT MOUTH OF SKEENA RIVER. GEORGE A. DORSEY, 1897 FOR W.A. HOLMES. BEST STYLE OF SLATE WORK." USNM CAT.# 13145 IS RE-ASSIGNED THIS SPECIMEN IN LIEU OF FURTHER DATA. 1/19/67. GP. INVENTORIED 1980." Illus. Pl. 250, p. 283 and described p. 265 and 303 (under incorrect catalogue # 13146) in Barbeau, Charles Marius. 1953. Haida myths illustrated in argillite carvings. [Ottawa]: Dept. of Resources and Development, National Parks Branch, National Museum of Canada. Identified as eagle at top, which shields with wings and bill the departed woman (wife of Nanasimgat) who wears a skil [hat ring or potlatch ring] hat and labret and holds onto the dorsal fin of the killer-whale, which makes up the lower half of the composition.The Swan accession record lists "3 pieces stone carving by Haida Indians of Queen Charlotte Island B.C." as part of this accession. This object may be one of those pieces.March 3, 2011, Robin K. Wright of the Burke Museum does not believe the attribution of this piece to Charles Edenshaw is correct.

Item History

What

Name
Argillite Totem Pole Model
Identification Number
E13145-0
Type of Item
crest column model

Where

Holding Institution
National Museum of Natural History
Made in
Washington, USA ? or British Columbia, Canada ?
Collected in
Washington, USA ? or British Columbia, Canada ?

Who

Culture
Haida
Field Collector
James G. Swan

When

Acquisition Date
during 1874

Other

Accession Number
003284

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