Caroline A.L. Pratt Fund

Long, full-body mask of bark cloth with natural color fiber fringe at bottom. Object is narrow at top and wide at bottom held stiff by a wooden hoop. Upper portion painted black with a white face on one side and a tuft of fringe at the top. Center section is cream-colored with yellow and orange snakes separated into four parts by black and orange lines. Upper part of center section has side slits through which tubular brown arm sleeves protrude, their shape maintained by small wooden hoops at the top and bottom. A fiber fringe hangs from the sleeves. Condition is good.

Museum Expedition 1908, Museum Collection Fund

This large, globular basket was purchased from the proprietor of the hotel in Ukiah. According to Dr. Hudson, informant to Stewart Culin, the Museum's curator, it is called a "chi-mo", literally, "Son-in-law). This was given to a man by his mother-in-law or the nearest relative of the bride. After the gift of this basket they may not speak to or even look at each other again. Twined "dowry" baskets are among the largest of all Pomo baskets. The technique here is called lattice twining in which two flexible weft strands twist around an additional, rigid element as well as vertical warp strands. This considerably strengthens the basket. Most baskets with horizontal band designs have an intentional change to the pattern, called a dau. While exact significance is obscure it has been regarded as the doorway for the spirits to enter, inspect, and then leave the basket when it would be destroyed.

The object is a burden basket. The rim at the top is decorated with a basketry cord attached to the main basket at intervals of approximately 2 1/2 inches, creating a scalloped edge. The design is made by the imbrication techinque. Below the scalloped edge is a row of wolves with their tails up, (a characteristic marker of identity) circling the rim counterclockwise. There is a wave pattern throughout created by imbrication. There are four colors on the basket. The body of the basket is a natural warm brown color. The imbrication areas are natural light straw, natural? red, and dyed? dark brown. The basket is in good and stable condition. On the interior, there are some detached basketry fibers.

Feather fan with bark handle decorated with quillwork. The fan is circular with white feathers in the center and light blue, dyed feathers on the edges. A small bird body with brown and white feathers is affixed to the center.

This blanket is very early and possibly Tshimshin in origin. Ceremonial blanket with black, blue, yellow and white design probably the "Diving Whale." The head of the whale with his nostrils is at the bottom, the center face is his body with his 'spirit' inside it, the tail flukes are spread out on lower section also with eyes inside. The front flukes flank the head.The side panels (not shown in photograph) are probably a young raven. Although very worn this is a very finely woven, old robe with no commercial elements in it. There is an artist signature in the weaving by the side fringe. This is possibly the same robe depicted in G.T Emmons, "The Chilkat Blanket," AMNH Memoirs, Vo. 111. part 1V, fig. 568B. Source for design and weaving information, Cheryl Samuels, "The Chilkat Blanket," Pacific Search Press, Seattle, 1982. See also her dedication page where signature of weaver is given , appears to be the same as this blanket.

This is a perfectly scaled model of a birch bark and ash splint canoe. The exterior or weaker side of the canoe faces inward, and the hull is almost completely lined with the ash splints. On the outside of the canoe model, pitch was used to cover the seams. Painted red circles are incised at bow and stern. Black, red, and blue paint decorate the rim of the model canoe.

Brooklyn Museum Collection

Northwest coast Chilkat blanket, two piled yarn of wool fiber and cedar bark. Trapezoid-like shape, side edges of beige weft-faced voven, possibly weft-twined. Upper and lower edges also beige in weft-faced plain weave. Broad bands of medium brown and yellow weft-faced plain weave enclose central dark brown field. Various geometric, stylized face and eye motifs in interlocking and slit tapestry techniques in beige, light yellow, olive green and dark brown on this dark brown field. Long fringes extend from lower edge, where wool yarn covering has worn away to show cedar bark interior in places. The design is the "Diving Whale" design with the head of whale located at bottom near the fringe, tail flukes near the top, side flukes near the head, all with eyes inside. The center body is indicated with a face representing the spitit of the animal. The whale is flaked by young raven designs. Weaving is thought to be problematical and the artist took many innovative liberties. Might not have had enough brown wool so did some basket twining technigues along the top and outlining areas such as the eyes. In one area near trout eyes at the botom weaver had to change brown to another shade and then finaly to green as not enough wool. Very loosely woven over all. Either has two different artist's signatures or again the artist didn't have enough dark brown to even complete the signature.