From card: "Made by Geneskelos. Illus. in USNM AR, 1888, pl. 8, fig. [31, 33], p. 260. 20251A -- Bear design. Loan: R. H. Lowie Museum Dec. 31, 1964. Loan returned Feb 15 1966..." From card: "card 2. 20251A illus.: Hndbk. N. Amer. Ind., vol. 7, Northwest Coast, fig. 8 bottom, pg. 124."From card: "20,251. Bracelets (2).---silver band, bent in circlets; open spring clasp; exterior chased and engraved. Diam., 2 1/4 ins. Breadth of band, 1 to 1 1/4 ins. Queen Charlotte's Island, British Columbia, 1876. Collected by J. G. Swan for Centennial Exposition, 1876. Made by "Geneskelos," a Haidah Indian of Lashkeeh. Device represents hoort's, the bear, and skamskwin, eagle (or thunder bird)."The original Anthropology catalogue ledger book identifies E20251 as one pair of silver bracelets made by Geneskelos. However, at least since 1888 there appear to have been 3 bracelets with catalogue number E20251: E20251-0 (20251A) a bear design bracelet; E20251-1 (20251B) a bear design bracelet decorated in a different style than E20251-0; E20251-2 (20251C) an eagle or thunderbird design bracelet decorated in the same style as E20251-0. Per Robin K. Wright and Kathryn B. Bunn-Marcuse, E20251-0 and E20251-2 appear to have been made by Geneskelos. Wright and Bunn-Marcuse doubt that Geneskelos made E20251-1. E20251-0 is Fig. 39, E20251-1 is Fig. 41 and E20251-2 is Fig. 40, all on p. 68 of Bunn-Marcuse, Kathryn B. 2007. Precious Metals: silver and gold bracelets from the Northwest Coast. Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2007.

From card: "Formerly belonged to Kitun, a "great chief". Painted; has moveable [movable] beak and eyes. Feather down encircles border. Excellent old mask. Loaned: Buenos Aires, March 25, 1954. Retd.: 1955. Exhibit Hall 9, 1987. Identified in exhibit label as Crest mask - the raven, collected from Gitkun, chief of the important village of Laskeek, or Tanu. Illus.: Hndbk. N. Amer. Ind., Vol. 7, Northwest Coast, fig. 12f, pg. 250."Raven mask appears in Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center Alaska Native Collections: Sharing Knowledge website, by Aron Crowell, entry on artfact http://alaska.si.edu/record.asp?id=175 , retrieved 6-24-2012.

From card: "made by Geneskelos. 20251C-- Width - 3.4 cm. Thunderbird [or eagle]."From card: "20,251. Bracelets (2).---silver band, bent in circlets; open spring clasp; exterior chased and engraved. Diam., 2 1/4 ins. Breadth of band, 1 to 1 1/4 ins. Queen Charlotte's Island, British Columbia, 1876. Collected by J. G. Swan for Centennial Exposition, 1876. Made by "Geneskelos," a Haidah Indian of Lashkeeh. Device represents hoort's, the bear, and skamskwin, eagle (or thunder bird)."The original Anthropology catalogue ledger book identifies E20251 as one pair of silver bracelets made by Geneskelos. However, at least since1888 there appear to have been 3 bracelets with catalogue number E20251: E20251-0 (20251A) a bear design bracelet; E20251-1 (20251B) a bear design bracelet decorated in a different style than E20251-0; E20251-2 (20251C) an eagle or thunderbird design bracelet decorated in the same style as E20251-0. Per Robin K. Wright and Kathryn B. Bunn-Marcuse, E20251-0 and E20251-2 appear to have been made by Geneskelos. Wright and Bunn-Marcuse doubt that Geneskelos made E20251-1. E20251-0 is Fig. 39, E20251-1 is Fig. 41 and E20251-2 is Fig. 40, all on p. 68 of Bunn-Marcuse, Kathryn B. 2007. Precious Metals: silver and gold bracelets from the Northwest Coast. Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2007.

From card: "This is one of the two larger poles, acquired for the La. Purch. Expos. exhibit [a.k.a. St. Louis World's Fair of 1904] of the Smithsonian. It was purchased from Joe Hans who had it erected about 1885 as a memorial to his deceased uncle, whose name and totemic emblems he was assuming. It was put up on a site called: "nadogids" (the house to which people are always glad to go). The explanation of the carved figures is as follows, from bottom to top: 1. Beaver, was the original crest of Hans (tseng), 2. Whale (kun), 3. Sea Grizzly Bear (Chagan huaji), 3 Cormorant (kialo) with a face carved on its tail which is merely ornamental, 5. Two "totem-pole" men, with a ceremonial hat between them, on which stands: 6. Eagle (got) (at the top). The Eagle, Cormorant, and the whale are the crests which he took over from his uncle. Carved by natives from the giant cedar Thuja plicata."See "Monumental Art of Tanu", The Bill Reid Centre, Simon Fraser University https://www.sfu.ca/brc/virtual_village/haida/tanu/monumental-art-of-k-uuna.html . See entry on House 7b: Favourite House of Assembly, where it is noted that the second house on this site, Favourite House of Assembly, was erected sometime before 1885. Pole E233398 is described there as Frontal pole 7B, and the crests on the pole are identified in this way: 1. (top) separate carving of an eagle 2. two watchmen on either side of a small frog with large potlatch cylinders 3. cormorant 4. sea grizzly 5. killer whale 6. beaver with four potlatch cylinders

From card: "Figure or skeleton of 'Oolalla', a fearful looking thing. Made to be drawn across the lodge during ceremonials and to throw its arms in various shapes to terrify beholders. Taken apart after the ceremonies are over and not refitted till another performance when they are refitted and painted." Swan's descriptive catalogue." Illustrated: USNM Annual Report for 1895, Fig. 204, p. 653, identified there as "Wood carving representing the Olala." On p. 653 of this publication it is noted about 89038, 89039, 89072 and 89073: "In his dances the olala of all the northern tribes use headdresses which represent a corpse..."

From card: ""... with moveable [movable] eyes and mouth, ancient." Swan's desc. cat. Exhibit Hall 9, 1987. Identified in exhibit label as Spirit Mask - the Oolalla, Haida, collected 1883 at Tanu."

From card: "Head, arms, and lower legs of wood, carved and painted red and white, lower legs attached to body by buckskin. Hair fastened to skin on the back of the mask-like face. "carved dancing figure or skeleton of the Oolalla or wood demon. worn on the head and rigged with string to move the legs and arms, very rare and obtained with difficulty." Swan's descriptive catalogue. "... taken apart after the ceremonies are over and not refitted till another performance when they are refitted and painted." See accession records for additional data. Refer To: "Boas, F.: Social Organization and Secret Society of the Kwakiutl Indians, USNM A.R. 1895, fig. 201 (p. 651), p. 653. LaFarge, O.: Pictorial History of the Amer. Indian, 1956, Ill. p. 211. Loan: R. H. Lowie Museum 12/31/64, loan returned Feb 15, 1966. Illus.: Hndbk. N. Amer. Ind., Vol. 7, Northwest Coast, Fig. 12a, pg. 250." Identified in Handbook caption as "Ulala carved wooden dancing figure, red and white, part of a headdress that represents the canibal spirit (Caamano 1938:292)." Illustrated: USNM Annual Report for 1895, Fig. 201, p. 651, identified there as "Headdress of Olala." On p. 653 of this publication it is noted about 89038, 89039, 89072 and 89073: "In his dances the olala of all the northern tribes use headdresses which represent a corpse...."

FROM CARD:"THIS IS ONE OF THE TWO LARGER POLES ACQUIRED FOR THE [LOUISIANA PURCHASE] EXPOSITION [a.k.a. the St. Louis World's Fair of 1904] EXHIBIT OF THE SMITHSONIAN. IT WAS PURCHASED FROM GEORGE GREEN THE OWNER IN 1904. SOME UNPUBLISHED MS. NOTES OF JUDGE J. G. SWAN ON HIS EXPEDITION FOR THE SMITHSONIAN IN 1883 APPEAR TO INDICATE THAT THIS POLE WAS ERECTED BETWEEN 1875-1880. THE EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURES IS AS FOLLOWS: FROM BOTTOM TO TOP: 1. KILLER WHALE (SKANA) THE CREST OF THE OWNER, THE EARS ARE REPRESENTED BY HORSESHOE-SHAPED PARTS WITH THE FACE OF A TOAD IN EACH, AND THIS LATTER IS THE CREST OF THE WIFE (HERE SUPOSEDLY USED ONLY DECORATIVELY), 2. WOMAN'S FACE, LOOKING OUT FROM IN-BETWEEN THE FORKED TAIL FLIPPERS OF THE KILLER WHALE, AND HOLDING THE "WRIST" OR TAIL BETWEEN HER HANDS, 3. HUMAN FACE WITH THE EYES DROPPING OUT OF THE HEAD, THE OWNER'S CHINOOK JARGON EXPLANATION OF THIS WAS: TAHT LONG AGO, TO THE EAST ON AN ISLAND CALLED "QAL" (BONILLA I, CLOSE TO THE BANKS I, IN TSIMSHIAN TERRITORY) LIVED AN OLD CHIEF, WHOSE EYES DROOPED OUT OF THEIR SOCKETS AND HAD TO BE HELD BY FRIENDS WHEN HE WAS EATING HIS MEAL, MOSTLY OF HAIRSEAL, TAKEN WHOLE BECAUSE HE HAD NO TEETH, SO BONES WERE BLOWN OUT AFTERWARD. DORSEY SAID THIS WAS, PROBABLY, AN OLD TSIMSHIAN LEGEND REFERRING TO A SEA ANEMONE, 5. MAN'S FACE BETWEEN THE WINGS OF THE EAGLE, WITH FOUR CROWNED HAT ON HIS HEAD, 6. EAGLE, WITH A BEAK, WHICH IS THE CREST OF THE WIFE OF THE OWNER, & 7. THREE WATCHERS OR TOTEM POLE MEN, WITH THREE-CROWNED HATS ON EACH. 6/4/68 A FIELD PHOTO OF THIS POLE AT 'TANU' IS AVAILABLE IN SOA ARCHIVES [NATIONAL ANTHROPOLOGICAL ARCHIVES] (HAIDA FOLDER - ORIG.) GP. 11-6-[19]75 LOANED TO 1876 (CENTENNIAL EXHIBIT), A & I - RIGHT POLE. LOAN RETURNED SEP 1990. POLE MADE OF WESTERN RED CEDAR, THUJA PLICATA. NEW NEG. NOS. (SECTIONS); MNH 2348; 2350; 2354. 1990 - THIS POLE IS ON EXHIBIT IN NHB CONSTITUTION AVE. LOBBY STAIRWELL - RIGHT POLE. 1991 EXHIBIT LABEL IDENTIFIES POLE CARVINGS AS (FROM TOP): THREE TOTEM POLE WATCHMEN; EAGLE; SEA CHIEF/SEA ANEMONE; WOMAN HOLDING WHALE'S TAIL; KILLER WHALE, WITH FROGS." 2008, an additional exhibit label identifies the Eagle crest as belonging to the pole's owner; Sea Chief crest as belonging to to the wife's family, and the Killer Whale crest as belonging to the owner of the pole.From 2009 exhibit labels: Pole identified as carved from Western red cedar (Thuja plicata). Haida Totem Pole collected in 1904, Tanu, Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, Canada. Crests, from top: Three Totem Pole Watchmen, Eagle, Sea Chief/Sea Anemone, Woman Holding Whale's Tail, Killer Whale, with Frogs. Exhibit label includes a copy of a 1901 photograph that shows "this pole on the far left, where it stood in front of Property House in the abandoned village of Tanu." Source of photograph is uncredited in the exhibit label. A separate label for the pole tells the Story of Sea Chief. It also says: This story and the other crests on the pole belonged to a particular Haida family. Crests, from top: The eagle crest belonged to the wife of the totem pole's owner. The Sea Chief crest belonged to the wife's family. (Look for the eyes hanging out of their sockets.) The killer whale crest belonged to the owner of the totem pole. "Story of Sea Chief. A long time ago, deep in the ocean, lived a great Sea Chief. At night the Chief's eyes dropped from their sockets and hung down to his waist. Friends held the eyes in their sockets so he could eat. The Chief's favorite food was hair seal. Because he had no teeth, he swallowed the seals whole and blew the bones out."See "Monumental Art of Tanu", The Bill Reid Centre, Simon Fraser University https://www.sfu.ca/brc/virtual_village/haida/tanu/monumental-art-of-k-uuna.html . See entry on House 10: Property House. Pole E233399 is described there as Frontal pole 10, and the crests on the pole are identified in this way: 1. (top) three watchmen 2. eagle 3. story figure of Tsimshian sea-chief/sea anemone 4. killer whale whose head, arms, legs, and pectoral fins are at the base. The body of the killer whale extends above with a woman in its mouth clutching its tail