Necklace comprised of four strings of blue-grey beads attached to a rusted metal zipper end, and fragments of a bird’s beak. The beak forms the lower most decoration of the necklace and acts as a pendant along with the zipper. The four doubled over strands of seeds are bundled together and tied with medium blue fibre about a third of the way up from the beak and zipper decoration. The zipper end and beak are attached to the bundles by thick, brown woven plant fibres.

OBJECTS OF EXCHANGE: SOCIAL AND MATERIAL TRANSFORMATION ON THE LATE NINETEENTH-CENTURY NORTHWEST COAST. GLASS, AARON EXHIBITION CATALOG, 2011, Publisher: BARD GRADUATE CENTER CHIEFLY FEASTS: THE ENDURING KWAKIUTL POTLACH. JONAITIS, ALDONA EXHIBITION CATALOG, 1991

Penis sheath made from the upper part of a bird beak and partial skull. The beak is light yellow, slightly curved and has a smooth surface. Two large curved lines have been deeply carved into the top creating three arrow-like shapes pointing down the beak. Both sides of the beak have small perpendicular linear incisions creating small checkerboard-like patterns. The top of the beak’s tip has small parallel, incised grooves arranged in a row. The opening has a round woven band wrapped around the back of the beak. Two tufts of grey hair are tied on both sides of the woven ring with a plastic thread. A plastic thread is also tied at the back of the beak through two bored holes.

Henry L. Batterman Fund and the Frank Sherman Benson Fund

VOICES OF THE ANCESTORS: MUSIC IN THE LIFE OF THE NORTHWEST COAST INDIANS. EXHIBITION CATALOG, 1986, Publisher: THE BRUCE MUSEUM

VOICES OF THE ANCESTORS: MUSIC IN THE LIFE OF THE NORTHWEST COAST INDIANS. EXHIBITION CATALOG, 1986, Publisher: THE BRUCE MUSEUM