Provenience note: Anthropology catalogue ledger book lists a locality of Alaska for E67931 - 68019. Catalogue cards list a locality of Sitka. Alaska. It is unclear which is correct, though it is probable that the collection was purchased in Sitka.

From card: "See U.S.N.M. Report 1888, pl. LIX, No. 311. Boas, Social Org. and Secret Soc. of Kwakiutl. Illus. fig. 213, p. 654 and Rept 1895, fig. 213; p. 659." From Musical Instrument card: "Carved wood rattle, in two sections. Design: The close valves of a large shell. (cockle) with a projecting handle, used in the secret societies."

Listed on page 49 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: "ILLUS. IN USNM AR, 1893; PL. 16, 17; P. 642."

Alan Zuboff, Shirley Kendall, and Ruth Demmert made the following comments during the Tlingit Recovering Voices Community Research Visit. This object could have been used as a serving dish for food, and you can still smell the seal oil on this object. This is possibly from Kaach.adi clan from Admiralty Islands (rv_Tlingit_2017_0320_008; 4:30).

FROM CARD: "60104-6. 3 1/2" SPECIMEN [presumed to be # 60106?] RECOVERED FROM AN 8' DEPTH NEAR THE NW TRADING CO'S POST AT CHILCOOT, PORTAGE BAY, S.E. ALASKA. 60106 R.B.I., P.72." List in accession file dated December 1881 indicates the 3 1/2" adze had been found by G[eorge] Dickinson, the Northwest Trading Company's agent, while digging a well.

FROM CARD: "USED BY THE INDIANS IN SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA FOR TRAVELING, ETC. DUGOUT OF THE TRUNK OF A SINGLE TREE OF THE GIANT CEDAR (THUJA GIGANTEA). AN OPEN, ROUND BOTTOM KEELESS CANOE; LONG SHARP, OVERHANGING BOW WITH SNOUT-LIKE PROJECTION AND STRAIGHT NEARLY VERTICAL OUTWATER; FLARING SIDES; SHARP, OVERHANGING STERN; ENDS CURVED UP RATHER SHARPLY WITH A CARVED FIGURE OF A BEAR RESTING ON THE BOW AND STERN; PAINTED ALL OVER WITH TOTEMS; EQUIPPED WITH 5 PADDLES. THIS IS ONE OF THE LARGEST AND FINEST CANOES BUILT BY THE INDIANS OF THE NORTHWEST COAST OF AMERICA. THE PERFECTION OF ITS LINES, ITS BUOYANCY, AND ITS ORNAMENTATION CHALLENGE ADMIRATION.- H. COLLINS' SMITHSONIAN BOAT COLLECTION MS. P. 893. G. T. EMMONS "TLINGIT ETHNOLOGY" (MSS IN AMER. MUSEUM NAT. HISTORY) MENTIONS THIS CANOE; "ONE OF THE LAST OF THE CANOES, THE PROPERTY OF THE NAN-YA-A-YI [Naanya.aayí] CHIEF, SHAKES [Sheiyksh], OF THE STIKINE TRIBE WAS NAMED HOOTZ YORK (BROWN BEAR CANOE) FROM THE CARVED BEAR FIGURES SURMOUNTING BOW AND STERN. THE MALE BEAR LEANING OVER THE BOW WAS THE WATCHMAN LOOKING AHEAD, AND THE FEMALE WAS SHOWN RISING OUT OF THE STERN. IT WAS ALSO CALLED "KETE YOURK" (KILLER WHALE CANOE) AS A KILLER WHALE WAS PAINTED ON EITHER SIDE OF THE BOW. ON EITHER SIDE OF THE STERN WAS PAINTED A RAVEN. THE KILLER WHALE AND BROWN BEAR WERE BOTH FAMILY CRESTS, THE RAVEN THE WIFE'S CREST. THIS CANOE PROCURED FOR GOVT. EXHIBIT AT CHICAGO WORLD'S FAIR IN 1893 ... ". SEE U.S.N.M. BULL. NO. 127, PG. 218-19 [canoe is listed as number 76315]. [Bow and stern] ILLUS.: HNDBK. N. AMER. IND., VOL. 7, NORTHWEST COAST, FIG. 4, LEFT AND CENTER, PG. 9. THREE DRAWINGS OF SPECIMEN [by Bill Holm are] IN NAA [NATIONAL ANTHROPOLOGICAL ARCHIVES] ..." ...CONTINUED, SEE CARDS. Note re photos: Smithsonian Photographic Services color slide # 73-5071 is view of National Anthropological Archives drawing of complete canoe showing midships artwork; color slide # 73-5072 is view of NAA drawing of bow of canoe; color slide # 73-5073 is view of NAA drawing of stern of canoe.A 1943 memo in accession file discusses the transfer of this canoe, listed as Division of Engineering number 76315, from the Engineering Division to the Department of Anthropology, and indicates that it formerly had been suspended from the ceiling of the Boat Hall of the Arts and Industries building, but in 1942 was moved to the West Court of the Natural History Museum as an air raid precaution. This canoe has been called various numbers while at the Smithsonian, including Division of Engineering number 76315 and Catalogue Nos. 168115 and 398282 while in the Department of Anthropology. E168115 is the number used currently for it by the Department of Anthropology.