The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.

Raven rattles were used throughout the Northwest Coast by people of high rank. The delicate and elaborate carving of these status objects displays the skills of the maker. The body of one of these rattles usually represents a raven, with the head of a hawk carved on its breast. A reclining figure, possibly a shaman, is carved on the back of the rattle. The figure's tongue is joined to the mouth of a bird or frog - in this example, a frog - possibly signifying a transfer of power from one to the other. This may indicate that it was traditionally a shaman's implement. The most common historical use of raven rattles, however, appears to have been as dance rattles carried by high-ranking individuals wearing frontlet headdresses.

Carved and painted model totem pole. Pole has an eagle at top, wings at sides, feet planted on a small bentwood box. The box is balanced on the head of a human, with protruding nose and painted features, wearing a shoulder cloak. With his hands and feet the man grips a downward facing whale. The whale has a green and black torso with carved and painted eyes and open mouth showing clenched white teeth behind red lips. Its nose plunges into the pole’s rectangular wooden stand which is painted red and green. The back of the pole has been partially hollowed out.

Hand painted glass lantern slide. A 3-sided rectangular wooden frame holds the irregular or broken glass plate that has been hand painted on the back. The scene shows a First Nations chief being shot, with a gun right on the side of his head. He is wearing a red scarf, brown jacket and tall animal skin headdress, on a black background. The gun is held by an arm emerging from the right. The glass is held to the frame by grooves in the wood as well as small pieces of tin inserted in the wood behind the pane. An irregularly shaped wood bar crosses over the back side of the glass, glued to the frame at top and bottom.

Wooden crucifx on a base. Christ is shown with a cloth around his hips, a crown of thorns and blood dripping down his body. He is on a black cross which has a black stepped base. “I.N.R.I” is painted on a plaque at the top. The back is unpainted and has some paper attached at the top.

DISCOVERY ROOM (AMNH - EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, NEW YORK, NY, USA, 2001)

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 OBJECTS OF BRIGHT PRIDE: SECOND EDITION. WARDWELL, ALLEN EXHIBITION CATALOG, 1978

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 OBJECTS OF BRIGHT PRIDE: SECOND EDITION. WARDWELL, ALLEN EXHIBITION CATALOG, 1978

Painted bentwood box. Rectangular box is painted on all sides with images of animals and faces in black and red. Two of its corners are reinforced with metal plates attached with nails. The front panel (part b) is detached and shows an oval face at centre, with hands at the sides, possibly wearing a headdress? The face is embellished with metal studs along its perimeter, mouth, and nose. The box is attached to its base by long metal nails. Parts c, d, and e are fragments from the front panel.

Small wooden paddle. Paddle has a long, flat, tapered blade painted with a form-line eye in black on both sides. Shaft is long, round, and narrow, flaring slightly and flattening toward the cylindrical grip. One side of paddle has remnants of white paper attached at blade top and side, and at top of shaft.