Totem Pole

Item number E361695-0 from the National Museum of Natural History.

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Notes

FROM CARD: "SECTION OF TREE TRUNK, HOLLOWED OUT IN THE BACK, WITH 3 CONTRASTING SURFACES, THE NATURAL, WITH BLACK AND MEDIUM RED USED TO ACCENTUATE PARTS OF THE FIGURES. THIS POLE HAS BEEN REPRODUCED BY ALVA STUDIOS, NEW YORK, FOR SALE. LENT TO THE MUSEO NACIONAL DE ANTROPOLOGIA, MAY 18, 1964." Loan returned 2012.Information from Robin K. Wright, Burke Museum, 4-12-2012: I believe the model pole is Kaigani Haida, and am thinking it might have been carved by Dwight Wallace (or possibly John Wallace). I think it's a model based on one of corner posts of Duncan Ginaawaan's house in Klinkwan, AK, pictured in my book Northern Haida Master Carvers. It has a bear instead of the humanoid bear holding what I think is the woman in the moon, but the other bear figures and squared ears, and especially portrait-like woman below are very similar. John Wallace later copied this pole full sized for the Hydaburg Totem Park as part of the CCC project.