Berry Spoon

Item number E20823-0 from the National Museum of Natural History.

Public

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Data
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Notes

FROM CARD: "20820-5: ILLUS. IN USNM AR, 1888; PL. 42; FIGS. 227-240; P.318." Identified in the publication as from Kake Tlingit.FROM OLD 19TH OR EARLY 20TH CENTURY EXHIBIT LABEL WITH CARD [referring to E20820-20825]: "SPOONS.---MADE OF WOOD. USED ESPECIALLY FOR BERRIES, BY ALL NORTHWEST INDIAN TRIBES. KAKE INDIANS (KOLUSCHAN STOCK), ALASKA. 20,820-25. COLLECTED BY JAMES G. SWAN. 20820-25. NEG. NO.6212."FROM OLD 19TH OR EARLY 20TH CENTURY EXHIBIT LABEL WITH CARD: "BERRY SPOON.---MADE OF WOOD; LOWER PORTION ORNAMENTED WITH TOTEMIC CARVINGS. SHAPED SOMEWHAT LIKE A SPATULA. LENGTH, 14 1/8 INCHES; WIDTH, 1 5/8 INCHES. KAKE INDIANS (KOLUSCHAN STOCK), KUIN ISLAND, ALASKA. 20,823. COLLECTED BY JAMES G. SWAN."Florence Sheakley made the following comments during the Tlingit Recovering Voices Community Research Visit, March 13-March 24, 2017. These spoons are made of yellow cedar. All of these were made by the same carver. The paddles were made first, and then the carvings were added, but it is unclear why there are holes on the spoons. These spoons were used for blending and making soapberries, which fluff up, similar to a meringue. This is in a set of four, E20819-0, E20821-0, E20823-0, E20824-0

Item History

Made
Collected by James G. Swan during 1875
Received during 1876

What

Name: Berry Spoon
Identification Number: E20823-0
Type of Item: spoon

Where

Holding Institution: National Museum of Natural History
Made in: “United States: Alaska: Wrangell Island (not certain) / Fort Wrangell (not certain)” ?
Collected in: “United States: Alaska: Wrangell Island (not certain) / Fort Wrangell (not certain)” ?