Spoon Item Number: A5314 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Horn spoon with elongated, leaf-shaped bowl and upward curving handle. The end of the handle is bent and is darker in colour than the rest of the spoon. The horn is amber coloured and some what translucent.
History Of Use
Along the Northwest Coast, in general, undecorated spoons of wood and horn were used in everyday life, while more elaborately carved versions were used on special occassions. Horn spoons were often passed down in families as heirlooms, such spoons are generally darker in colour than those of recent manufacture. The bowls of these spoons are too large to place in the mouth, so food is sipped from the sides or the end.
Cultural Context
household utensil; domestic
Specific Techniques
Bill Holm notes that: "The horn spoon whether from the massive, spiral horn of the mountain sheep or the slim, black, dagger-like horn of the mountain goat, is cut from the partially hollow curved material and brought to its final form by spreading the bowl and bending the handle (1987:90)." Philip Drucker notes that: "horn of both mountain sheep and mountain goat was used for various purposes, after being softened in boiling water to permit shaping and molding (1955:51)."
Item History
- Made in British Columbia, Canada
- Owned by Walter C. Koerner before January 1973
- Received from Walter C. Koerner (Donor) during January 1973
What
- Name
- Spoon
- Identification Number
- A5314
- Type of Item
- spoon
- Material
- mountain sheep horn
- Manufacturing Technique
- steamed, shaped and carved
- Overall
- height 7.8 cm, width 8.4 cm, depth 26.9 cm
Who
- Culture
- Coast Salish
- Previous Owner
- Walter C. Koerner
- Received from
- Walter C. Koerner (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- British Columbia, Canada
When
- Ownership Date
- before January 1973
- Acquisition Date
- during January 1973
Other
- Condition
- fair
- Current Location
- Case 7
- Accession Number
- 0233/0026