Chilkat blankets, created by a complex form of tapestry twining, are the best-known textiles of the Northwest Coast. Emblems of nobility, they are prized for their crest significance, as well as for their beauty and fine workmanship. The labor-intensive process used to create a Chilkat blanket includes procuring and processing the materials, spinning the mountain goat wool wefts and the cedar bark and wood warps, dying the wefts, and weaving the blanket. The highly abstract designs of crest animals on Chilkat blankets fill the entire design space. The center panel of this design represents a diving whale, with the broad head filling the lower half while the spread-out tail flukes occupy the space along the upper border. A rectangular human face appears in the center of the whale's body.

THE NATIVE AMERICANS: THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF NORTH AMERICA. TAYLOR, COLIN F., 1991, Publisher: SALAMANDER BOOKS, LTD

The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.

This woven belt is unusual in that it has one coral bead and one white bead tied to its fringe as well as a length of red ribbon. This would not have been visible when the belt was worn as the woman would have tucked the loose ends behind.

Blanket of black wool with red wool border and three rows of small mother of pearl buttons on three sides. [CAK 17/08/2009]