Bentwood Box Item Number: A3573 a-b from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Tall square bentwood box (part a) with flat lid (part b). The front and back are painted red and black in different Northwest Coast stylized distributive designs. The front figure has bird-like features with a central circle for a beak and talons along the outer edge. The back also has bird-like features with a crest made of u and split u-forms. The side panels have a faded red design of an ovoid with two u-forms attached near the bottom left corner. The box is pegged together at the side seam and on the bottom.
History Of Use
Bentwood boxes were used primarily for storage of food, implements, clothing and valuables. They were also used for cooking and serving food. They sometimes served as furniture or room dividers. They were also used as trade goods or gifts, and were symbols of wealth and prestige. Boxes used for ceremonial purposes were usually more highly decorated than those for everyday use.
Cultural Context
storage; trade; status; ceremony
Specific Techniques
Bentwood, or kerfed-corner, containers are constructed by a process unique to the Northwest Coast Aboriginal peoples. The carver begins with a single straight-grained plank of red cedar, or sometimes yellow cedar, spruce, or yew. The surface of the plank is finished with chisels, adzes, and knives; in earlier times, it was smoothed further with sandstone or dried sharkskin. Then three parallel kerfs, or grooves, are carved out at measured points across the width of the board, at right angles to the long edge. The kerfs, which will become three corners of the box, allow the board to be steamed until the wood fibres are softened, and then carefully bent to form a box with symmetrical sides. The final corner, as well as a fitted base, are joined and fastened with pegs (through drilled holes) or laced with spruce root or twisted cedar withes (branches). Storage boxes also have fitted lids of cedar, hollowed from the inside. Finally, painted compositions may be applied to the completed box and shallow carving added to bring the forms into relief. A well-made bentwood box is watertight. Historically, most boxes were used to store preserved foods and material goods; plain cooking boxes could be used to steam or boil food by adding water and heated stones.
Item History
- Made in British Columbia, Canada between 1893 and 1934
- Collected between 1893 and 1934
- Owned by George Henry Raley before November 1948
- Received from H. R. MacMillan (Funding source) and George Henry Raley (Seller) during November 1948
What
Who
- Culture
- Northwest Coast
- Previous Owner
- George Henry Raley
- Received from
- H. R. MacMillan (Funding source) and George Henry Raley (Seller)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- British Columbia, Canada
When
- Creation Date
- between 1893 and 1934
- Collection Date
- between 1893 and 1934
- Ownership Date
- before November 1948
- Acquisition Date
- during November 1948
Other
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 1960/0394 a-b