One of the unique technical achievements of Northwest Coast artisans was the bentwood box. Containers of many sizes were made by kerfing hand-made boards at carefully measured intervals and bending the boards at the steamed kerfs to form the continuous sides. The last corner joint and the bottom board were fastened by pegging or sewing. The plan of the box is nearly square, and two opposite sides are elaborately painted in red and black in the conventional style of box painting. (Holm, Crooked Beak of Heaven, 1972)

Spruce Root Raven Hat, Tlingit, Killisnoo Village, xootsnoow Raven, the northern Northwest Coast Trickster/Creator, is often painted on hats to display the clan crest of the owners. 1800s; Collected by George T. Emmons; No. 989