Dagger with carved animal head made of whale bone on butt end of handle. Animal's eyes, nostrils and teeth are made of abalone shells. Rest of handle is wrapped in braided fibre. Bolster is made of bone. Blade is long and triangular with a sharp pointed tip and a lengthwise rib. Blade is brown with a black mottled patina.

Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation

Object is a flattish, hollow bone, shaped like a whale with a fin rising from the center of its back. On the fin is a carved face with mouth and teeth indicated. At one end of the whale is an open mouth. Throughout object are carved geometric forms: U-shapes, circles, and elipses forming another mouth, teeth, eyes and nostrils. Several incisions are filled with abalone shell; three pieces of shell are missing. On back of object, at either side of fin, are two holes equal in size. Thought to be used by a Shaman this would be used to catch or hold the ill person's soul while healing ceremonies would be performed. When finished with healing the person's soul would be retunred to his or her body. Condition: A portion of one end of the charm is void. Two holes of equal size appear on its back, one on either side of the fin.

Carved ceremonial adze with small carved stand (part b) to hold blade for upright display. Adze is decorated mainly in three sections: at the top appear to be two entwined creatures, both with circular shell eyes; at centre of handle is another carved creature with circular shell eyes, and another is carved at the butt end. Adze has a long narrow dark green stone blade, which is lashed to the handle with a light yellow-white twine. The stand is wood with a slot carved for the blade and decorative designs carved into the sides.

Chief's or shaman's rattle of carved wood with abalone inlay. Long billed bird with possibly the shaman himself riding on the birds back, the back has become a land otter with a long tail. The tail ends as if it is a monster face at the land otters tail and horns take the place of ears. The underside of the rattle has a beaked bird with web feet upturned. Koskimo location is now called Tla-o-qui-aht. This was once catalogued as depicting the legend of Ka-ka-tete,[Ka-tia-hete] the whistling demon. Examined by Bill Holm 11/71 and called the finest example of its kind. Condition: Thongs holding it together are gone, now glued. Three abalone eyes gone. Tlingit attribution based on stylistic evidence. Original attribution was Kwakwaka'wak. This acession number assigned to it in c. 1930 when first record was made.

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