Bracelet Item Number: A9018 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Silver bracelet with an American eagle motif. Bracelet is wider at the front and tapers down around the sides where one end clasps through a hole into the other end at back. Main design is an American-style eagle and floral motif. At either side is a pair of horizontal double-spirals in mirror-image of one another, with a heart in a spade shape that has a pair of spirals at the end. The background is engraved with crosshatching.
History Of Use
Metalwork has a long history in copper and iron on the Northwest Coast. Silver and gold American coins—from which the early Haida bracelets were made—were scarce along the Northwest Coast until the 1860s. Ginaawaan would have been one of the first generation of silversmiths, as he was already accomplished by his death in 1876.
Narrative
Once thought to have been made by Charles Edenshaw, but further research suggests it was likely made by Duncan Ginaawaan.
Specific Techniques
The artist would have hammered out the silver or gold coins, or first melted them into ingots, and then engraved them. A number of the bracelets from the late 19th century show imagery reflecting Euro/American influences of the time, such as the American eagle, or foliate motifs.
Item History
- Made by Duncan Ginaawaan (Maker) in Alaska, USA ? during 1870
- Collected between 1906 and 1908
- Owned by Mrs. E. A. Kaiser before August 1968
- Owned by Ada Hutton between 1906 and 1908
- Received from Mrs. E. A. Kaiser (Donor) during August 1968
What
- Name
- Bracelet
- Identification Number
- A9018
- Type of Item
- bracelet
- Material
- silver metal
- Manufacturing Technique
- engraved
- Overall
- height 3.2 cm, width 5.5 cm, depth 5.4 cm
Who
- Culture
- Haida
- Creator
- Duncan Ginaawaan (Maker)
- Previous Owner
- Mrs. E. A. Kaiser and Ada Hutton
- Received from
- Mrs. E. A. Kaiser (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Alaska, USA ?
When
- Creation Date
- during 1870
- Collection Date
- between 1906 and 1908
- Ownership Date
- before August 1968 and between 1906 and 1908
- Acquisition Date
- during August 1968
Other
- Item Classes
- metalwork
- Condition
- good
- Current Location
- Case 14
- Accession Number
- 2147/0001