Identified as of probable Makah manufacture by Teri Rofkar, Tlingit basket maker, 3-2003

Mask was originally catalogued as "Koloshian", but identification was later changed to Haida at an unknown time by an unknown person. “Carved wooden masks. These of women represent the face of an Alaska married woman. The lower lip pierced with large piece of ivory. The married women are recognized by this feature (and ring in nose.)” And, mask “is a facsimile of the face of the ordinary Alaska Indian woman (the lower lip pierced) all married woman observe this custom but a shirt silver needle or pin would better represent prevailing custom, excepting in women somewhat advanced in years.” per White's original catalog in the NAA.

From card: "To accompany the harpoons # 72634-6. Illus.: Hndbk. N. Amer. Ind., Vol. 7, Northwest Coast, Fig. 2c, pg. 424."Described p. 106 in Brown, James Temple. 1883. The whale fishery and its appliances. Washington: Govt. print. off.: "Serving Stick And Twine. Stick, yew; twine, nettle fiber. Ends of stick carved to represent the caudal fin of the whale. Used in connection with the mallet (76638) to serve harpoon laniards. Length, 16 1/2 inches. Makah Indians, Cape Flattery, 1882. James G. Swan. By means of this implement and the mallet, twine is wound or wrapped around the harpoon lines in spiral folds in the same manner as ordinary seamen serve a rope with spun-yarn or marline. The Indians employed this process before the advent of the white man. The necessities of the case caused them to adopt a plan at once simple and effective. "This stick has been in the family from which it was procured more than four generations. It was the property of Chief Haiks, who died at Neah Bay thirty years ago. His whaling implements have been carefully preserved and never used since his death."—[J. G. Swan.]"

FROM CARD: "TWINED BASKET MAT. ILLUS. IN USNM AR, 1888; PL.36, FIG. 183; P. 314. ONE SENT TO THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM, NOV. 7, 1922. RETURNED SEPT. 26, 1989. SEE ALSO ACC. 387023." FROM CARD: "...LOANED TO THE S.I. CENTENNIAL COMM. 7-9-75. LOAN RETURNED MAR 22 1990."

Listed on page 50 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: "CARVED WOOD STAINED BLACK. DESIGN: A BIRD HAVING FIVE TUFTS OF HUMAN HAIR FASTENED TO THE LOWER EDGE OF EACH WING. THE BODY IS ALSO PREFORATED WITH SMALL HOLES. ILL. IN BULLETIN 136, USNM, P1. 8-C, P.121."

Shirley Kendall and Florence Sheakley, both elders, made the following comments during the Tlingit Recovering Voices Community Research Visit, March 13-March 24, 2017. This object is possibly from Klukwan, and is made entirely of fur. The wide hip area means to us that it was made for a female. The edge of the garment was particularly cut in a certain way so as not to cut the hairs of the fur, so no edging was necessary on the garment.

FROM CARD: "CHIEFS RATTLE. CARVED WOOD DESIGN: THE RUSSIAN DOUBLE HEADED EAGLE, PAINTED GREEN AND BLACK."