Walking Stick Item Number: 3260/107 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Walking stick (or cane) carved, with abalone inlay. The handle has been shaped in the form of an animal’s head with a small, crouching human emerging from its jaws. Inset abalone eyes. Wrapped around the shaft are low relief carvings of bird and sea-creature imagery on the upper section; the lower section is plain.
Narrative
The stylistic features of this walking stick indicate that the carver was from the Haida community of Skidegate. The long, narrow ovoid forms that define the eye, wing, and joint areas on this cane’s shaft and came to be characteristic of Skidegate painting and low-relief carving of the period. Skidegate artists creating works for community use and for outside markets in the latter decades of the 19th century included such accomplished carvers as John Cross (1867-1939) and Zacherias Nicholas (1861-after 1911), among others; both of these artists have been put forward as the possible maker of this cane because of the stylistic qualities of their work.
Item History
- Made by Zacherias Nicolas (Maker) and John Cross (Maker) in British Columbia, Canada during 1880
- Owned by Elspeth McConnell before August 12, 2017
- Received from Elspeth McConnell (Donor) on August 12, 2017
What
- Name
- Walking Stick
- Identification Number
- 3260/107
- Type of Item
- stick
- Material
- yew wood and abalone shell
- Overall
- height 90.0 cm, width 13.0 cm, depth 4.0 cm
Who
- Culture
- Haida
- Creator
- Zacherias Nicolas (Maker) and John Cross (Maker)
- Previous Owner
- Elspeth McConnell
- Received from
- Elspeth McConnell (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- British Columbia, Canada
When
- Creation Date
- during 1880
- Ownership Date
- before August 12, 2017
- Acquisition Date
- on August 12, 2017
Other
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 3260/0107