Bear Claw Glove Item Number: A8371 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Part of a dance costume, carved in the shape of a bear's claw. Hide is nailed around at the wrist,and a piece of blue patterned fabric is nailed on one side to cover the hand. Opposite side has been painted blue. Has five digits.

History Of Use

Used in a dance. Steven Siwallace of Deadman's Creek Reserve, indicates that the Talio People had a grizzly bear dance.

Narrative

In 1959 John Davenport Clayton sold this collection of Bella Coola belongings (A8360-A8376) to the Campbell River Historical Society (Museum). The collection comprised 17 masks, headdresses, and other ceremonial items, as well as 3 cedar boxes. In 1963 the Campbell River Museum sold the 17 masks and ceremonial items to MOA (not the boxes). Objects in this collection may have come from Nuxalk households via sale, or exchange (as collateral towards money owed on goods purchased at the store), or may have been placed with the Claytons for secure storage during a time of floods and fires, and ended up remaining with the Clayton family?

Item History

What

Name
Bear Claw Glove
Identification Number
A8371
Type of Item
glove
Material
metal, alder wood, cotton fibre and skin
Manufacturing Technique
carved, nailed and painted
Overall
height 5.8 cm, width 14.7 cm, depth 27.3 cm

Who

Culture
Nuxalk
Previous Owner
John Davenport Clayton and Campbell River & District Historical Society
Received from
Campbell River & District Historical Society (Seller) and H. R. MacMillan (Funding source)

Where

Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
Made in
Bella Coola, British Columbia, Canada

When

Collection Date
between 1890 and 1910
Ownership Date
before 1959 and before April 17, 1963
Acquisition Date
on April 17, 1963

Other

Condition
fair
Current Location
Case 12
Accession Number
0099/0012