Description

Square leather pouch [.1] tied with leather thong ending in flat toggle [.2] roughly carved as a salmon, containing 66 wooden sticks [.3- .68], marked with patterns of red and black rings. [CAK 22/06/2009]

Longer Description

Square leather pouch [.1] tied with leather thong ending in flat toggle [.2] roughly carved as a salmon, containing 66 wooden sticks [.3- .68], marked with patterns of red and black rings. The pouch is made from a rectangular piece of leather that forms the front, back and large front flap, while the sides are made from smaller sections of leather sewn in place with leather strips. The bottom of the front flap has been perforated and a long leather strip tied to it to wrap around the pouch and secure it when closed. At the end of the long leather strip are four knots. The final knot is used to secure bone carving. The carving is in the shape of a salmon, with tail, dorsal fin and rounded head. An eye has been shallowly carved on the smooth side of the bone. Inside the pouch are a series of smoothly carved wooden sticks, each decorated with a unique design comprised of red and/or black rings. [CAK 22/06/2009]

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 gambling set was viewed alongside other gambling sets on Monday Sept 14, 2009. Christian White thought the toggle was made from antler and thought it could be a crudely carved salmon. See also entries for 1917.53.480 and 1891.49.92 [CAK 20/05/2010]

Primary Documentation

Accession Book Entry - 'WELLCOME HISTORICAL MEDICAL MUSEUM, 28 PORTMAN SQUARE, LONDON, W.1...1951.2.38 ESKIMO, probably WESTERN ESKIMO. HAIDA and tribes N. of VANCOUVER ISLAND. Skin pouch tied with leather thong ending in flat bone toggle roughly carved as whale, containing 65 wooden sticks, variously worked in circles, each 12.5 cm. long - for a gambling game. (Earlier examples known of ivory.) No W.H.M.M. data.'
Added Accession Book Entry - '1951.2.38 Ascription to Haida etc. by comparison with similar set P.R. coll. 3172 (P.R. V. 31). Directions for playing are with specimen.'
Added Accession Book Entry - 'These objects are labelled 'Gift of the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum' in accordance with the wish of the donors. v. letter from the Director, Dr. E. Ashworth Underwood, 30 Jan. 1951 (in pocket)'. [Now in RDF GI 4/2/2002]

There is no further information on the catalogue card. [CW 11 6 98]

Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - HAIDA & Tribes North of VANCOUVER ID. Sticks for a gambling game [rev.:] Gift of the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum [El.B 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 19/1/2005]

Related Documents File - Letter from E. Ashworth Underwood [Director, The Wellcome Historical Medical Museum] to T. K. Penniman dated 30 January, 1951, inviting the Pitt Rivers Museum to send a representative to select items from the Wellcome collection, housed temporarily at the British Museum. [GI 4/2/2002]

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]