PRIMITIVE ART. BOAS, FRANZ, 1951, Publisher: CAPITAL PUBLISHING COMPANY

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.

The dye is yellow.

In the Spirit of the Ancestors-This is one of the few contemporary weavings made of mountain goat wool. The wool was gathered in the Olympic Mountains and colored with evergreen huckleberries, wolf moss, yellow cedar bark, and salal berries. Susan Pavel, was a student (and niece-in-law) of the late Skokomish leader, Subiyay - Bruce Miller, who founded the Northwest Native American Basketweavers Association.

The gray is red, purple, orange, green, and brown.