From card: "Ends extended to represent effigy of some bird, probably an eagle; painted. Undoubtedly a fictitious piec. From purchase tag [glued onto artifact]: "Old ceremonial bowl carved to represent a salmon. Haida, Alaska, rare. (reduced) $8.50 (crossed out) price $6.50"".

Listed on page 45 in "The Exhibits of the Smithsonian Institution at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, San Francisco, California, 1915", in section "Arts of the Northwest Coast Tribes (Tools)".

From card: "Shallow dish with inner surface covered with mythological carvings in low relief. Displaying great skill and execution of a good design. The dish was formed on a lathe. Purchased from H. Stadthagen (Indian Trader), 79 Johnson St., Victoria, B.C. $22.50."Label glued on back of artifact has this information: "H. Stadthagen, Indian Trader, 79 Johnson Street, Victoria, B.C. $22.50."Comment from Graduate Student Research Paper, "A Report on Accession #42610 of the National Museum of Natural History", written by Athena Hsieh in April 2012, for the class "Anthropology in the Museum" taught by NMNH Curator, Dr. J. Daniel Rogers for the George Washington University. Approved for inclusion into notes by Dr. Igor Krupnik. Dr. Krupnik and NMNH has not verified the contents of the comment below, and suggests future researchers verify the remarks before citing Ms. Hsieh. The complete paper is attached to the accession record of this object in EMu. "The specific type of slate is called black silt argillite. Argillite is rare, and is found in Slatechuck Mountain on Graham Island, and only certain individuals were allowed the right to remove material from the quarry. That the artist was able to use argillite at all is an indication of his status. The southern Haida, especially those from Skidegate, were known amongst traders for their argillite plates with abalone shell inlay, which were then polished with dried sharkskin (Van Den Brink 1974, 74). The plate contains images of killer whales and a raven. H. Stadthagen was known as “The Indian Trader” who advertised in the local paper as a seller of “Indian Curios” (Victoria Daily Columnist 1902, 7). ... Though any records on Stadthagen and his business were not found, the maker of the plate might become known if Stadthagen's transactions are preserved. What can be inferred from the carvings on the plate is that it was likely carved by an individual of the Eagle moiety, since an image of the bird appears in the center of the plate, flanked by two killer whales. There is a possibility that this may be the work of Charles Edensaw, who was of the Eagle lineage. Citations Van Den Brink, J. H. 1974. The Haida Indians: Cultural Change mainly between 1876-1970. Leiden: E. J. Brill. Victoria Daily Columnist “Classified Advertisements.” February 19, 1902."

This object is on loan to the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, from 2010 through 2027.Has movable parts.Source of the information below: Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center Alaska Native Collections: Sharing Knowledge website, by Aron Crowell, entry on artfact http://alaska.si.edu/record.asp?id=613 , retrieved 6-24-2012: Mask Pulling the strings on this Sparrow Hawk mask makes the eyes move, the beak open, and the tongue rise and fall. Haida dance masks were worn during winter "secret society" ceremonies for the acquisition of supernatural power, and often represented ravens, hawks, puffins, oystercatchers, and other birds. The mask is brightened with strips of copper.

FROM CARD: "ILLUS. IN USNM AR 1895, FIG. 207, P. 654. 'A LARGE WHISTLE USED TO ANNOUNCE THE COMMENCEMENT OF A FESTIVAL. VERY HIGHLY PRIZED. THE NAME IS OOLALLA SPAPOKWILLA, OR OOLALLA WHISTLE.' SWAN'S DESC.CAT." OVER THE YEARS WHISTLE 89063 HAS BEEN CONFUSED WITH WHISTLE 89062. THE WHISTLE NOW CALLED 89063 MATCHES THE LEDGER BOOK DRAWING FOR 89063. - F. PICKERING 6-9-1997

Illus. Pl. 123, p. 160 and described (under incorrect catalogue # 2588) on p. 191 in Yehl, The Raven chapter of Barbeau, Charles Marius. 1953. Haida myths illustrated in argillite carvings. [Ottawa]: Dept. of Resources and Development, National Parks Branch, National Museum of Canada. Motifs identified there as "Two Ravens, one of them holding up the pipe bowl; a quadruped with the Raven's head, the Wolf, the Bear, the Raven; a quadruped and a person linked together by their tongues and hands."Provenience note, in 1841 Oregon Territory encompassed the land from Russian Alaska to Spanish California and from the Pacific to the Continental Divide. The U.S. Exploring Expedition did not go to Canada, but did reach Oregon Territory in 1841, and carried out a hydrographic survey of the Columbia River from its mouth to the Cascades, as well as doing some surveying inland.They had dealings with Hudson's Bay Company staff during that time, and it is probable that the HBC is the source of a number of the Northwest Coast artifacts collected by the expedition. This object has been attributed as possibly Haida, based on its being made of argillite.FROM CARD: "(DUPLICATE CARD. COPIED FROM CATALOG BOOK)."