Museum Purchase: Indian Collection Subscription Fund, Rasmussen Collection of Northwest Coast Indian Art.

Museum Purchase: Indian Collection Subscription Fund, Rasmussen Collection of Northwest Coast Indian Art.

Gift of Mrs. Ferdinand C. Smith and Mr. L. Hawley Hoffman.

Mask made of carved wood, animal skin and cloth. The face is painted orange, and displays an open mouth, small nose with a curved bridge and flared nostrils, small eye holes bored through the wood and lined with fibres, wide fibre-covered brows, and large ears to the sides. A small tuft of hair is glued to the upper lip for a mustache and paper has been inserted into the mouth to create teeth behind the lower lip. The head is covered with a thick cotton fabric lined with burlap that covers the wearer’s head and neck. Large course stiches are incorporated, as well as a rope made of plant fibre and a piece of red and white cotton fabric. Parts b and c are pieces of hardened skin with long, light brown hair attached.

Mask made of carved wood, animal skin and cloth. The face is painted orange, and displays an open mouth, small nose, eye holes bored through the wood, and rounded ears to the sides. Tufts of hair are glued to the upper lip for a mustache and wool is attached around the eyes and for brows. A strip of wood is inserted into the mouth for teeth, unpainted, and white paper is set inside the eyes with holes torn in the centre to allow the wearer to see. Long black goat hair is attached to the top of the head. Flowered fabrics hang from the chin and back.

Mask made of carved wood, animal skin, cloth and feathers. The face is painted orange, and displays an open mouth, small rectangular nose, small eye holes bored through the wood, and small ears to the sides. Tufts of hair are glued to the upper lip for a mustache. Three lines are drawn to the outside of each eye, and a half circle with two groups of three lines sits between the eyebrows, which are small pieces of hide. Small carved wooden teeth, unpainted, are attached inside the mouth, and white paper is set inside the eyes with holes torn in the centre to allow the wearer to see. Short-haired goat hide is attached around the edges of the mask with crown of head left bald, and to it at the back is sewn light brown cotton fabric that covers the head of the wearer. Atop the mask is a group of tall brown feathers.

Mask made of carved wood, animal skin and cloth. The face is painted dark red, and displays an open mouth, small nose, eye holes bored through the wood, and small rounded ears to the sides. Small tufts of hair sit under the nose for a mustache. Feathers are attached to the top of the head, mimicking hair, with hide on the sides. A thick thatch of matted grass is attached to a dark brown flap of cotton that covers the wearer’s head at back.

Mask made of carved wood, animal skin and cloth. The face is painted a shiny black, and displays an open mouth, protruding nose, and eye holes bored through the wood. Large ears are carved at sides. Strands of hair are glued to the upper lip for a mustache, and pieces of hide are used for eyebrows. Paper is attached inside the mouth with ink lines drawn for teeth. Paper is also set inside the eyes with small tears that allow the wearer to see. The paper has writing in blue ink on the interior. A blue headband sits across the forehead. Large flaps of skin are attached around the face and used as a head cover for the wearer.

Mask made of carved wood, animal skin and cloth. The mask is painted black, and displays an open mouth with white paper behind the lips, blue pen used to draw teeth. Above a small protruding nose are bored eye holes also with inserted white paper, torn to indicate a pupil. Large ears are carved at sides. A series of wrinkles are carved into the forehead and along the cheeks. Pieces of hide with long strands of light brown hair are glued to the upper lip and chin for a mustache and beard, as well as around they eyes and to the top of the head for hair. Burlap covered in goat hair and matted grass covers the back of the wearer’s head.

Round drum, double-faced, with drumming surface on both sides. Midsection flares out and is covered in a dark red velvet, with an encircling line of metal rivets on both sides of the fabric holding the skin tightly in place. Skin has been painted black. A metal noisemaker inside the instrument serves as a rattle.