Felted wool button blanket with large central design. Edges are red, scalloped on the inside border, with a narrow strip of white, also scalloped, and a black interior panel. On this panel sits the emblem of an eagle, wings spread, head to the side, atop a whale in profile, tail up. Over 2200 buttons in shell and abalone outline the crest and borders of the blanket. A half circle is cut out of the top edge to fit around the wearer’s neck. A strip of black felt sits to the side, to be fastened around the neck.

Basketry covered abalone shell. Large abalone shell is iridescent on the interior, with 4 perforations in the bottom under the rim. It is fully covered on the exterior by a piece of tightly woven basketry that closely takes its shape, and fits around the shell’s rim. Images of whales and birds, and concentric lines on rim and at bottom centre are woven into the basketry.

Basketry covered abalone shell. Large abalone shell (part b) is rough on the outside, smooth and iridescent on the inside, with 5 perforations in the bottom under the rim. It is fully covered on the exterior by a piece of tightly woven basketry (part a) that closely takes its shape. Images woven into the basketry include Canadian Plains style headdresses, ducks, and fish. The interior of the basket has many long end remnants resulting from the weaving process.

Horn spoon with deeply carved designs on handle. Bowl has incised linear design on top and a crosshatched and carved design on the bottom, near the handle. The bowl had five circular abalone inlay elements (three have fallen out) and the handle has three-dimensional carved designs and abalone inlay (one or two inlay pieces are missing). The tip of the handle is broken.

Hide pouch constructed of two rectangular pieces of thin hide, sewn together on three sides with an open top. A short fringe lines the outer edges on the sides and bottom. The front of the pouch is decorated with a line of red fabric along all edges and four blue fabric lines running diagonally from each corner to the centre where they meet a circle of white and yellow glass beads. A short handle of twisted red and tan fabric is attached to the pouch at the top corners. Two small white abalone buttons are sewn to the top back of the purse and correspond to holes in the front for closing. The back and interior are undecorated.

Axel Rasmussen Collection. Collected: Axel Rasmussen

Museum Purchase: Indian Collection Subscription Fund, Rasmussen Collection of Northwest Coast Indian Art.

TOTEMS TO TURQUOISE (AMNH, NEW YORK, NY, USA, 2004)