Basket with lid

Dagger and sheath. The knife (part a) has a shiny steel blade, gently curved at bottom, ending in a sharp point, and with a central spine on both front and back. The hilt is made of horn, with a wide pommel narrowing to a thin grip. Two round brass seals decorate the pommel front and are attached by nails that pierce the horn and emerge from the back. Small metal protrusions embellish the front of the hilt as does a bottom encircling band. The sheath (part b) is made of yellow leather covered with thin strips of brown leather. Lines of small holes and incised ‘x’ shapes decorate the yellow leather. The main portion is slightly curved to accommodate the dagger’s blade, while the bottom turns dramatically upward. Red fabric lines the opening of the sheath.

Wood carving of a figure and birds. Figure has a large oval head, painted white, with small, inset shells for eyes, a long nose with flared nostrils, and small mouth. Black circles and half circles decorate the face. The body is painted black, and has thin twisted rope at neck, waist and wrists. Arms hang at sides with hands flat against thighs. Feet are planted on the head of a large face which is painted similar to the figure’s, also with shell eyes, and upward curving horns. Two small birds perch on the temples. Tall birds span the carving from top to bottom, flanking the figure, beaks touching the top of its head. They are decorated with dark brown stripes. Small black and orange wings are folded on their backs. The back of the carving shows the back of the figure and bottom face, painted solid brown.

Stone pipe with a wooden stem (part a), long and rectangular, with rounded, narrowing tenon, and lip with bore. The tenon fits into the mortise on the shank. Pipe head (part b) is made of red catlinite stone and is undecorated. Shank is long, closed at distal end. From its middle protrudes the cylindrical bowl with chamber.

Small painted wooden spoon. The handle is carved into the shape of a fish, with a brown painted fluke and a small dorsal fin. Painted-on designs are side fins, dorsal decorations of lines and dots, the jaw line and mouth. Large teeth have been carved and emphasized with red paint. Small round eyes have also been carved and painted dark brown. In its mouth the fish grasps the bowl of the spoon, which is carved of the same piece of wood. The bowl is thick in the centre and thin at the edges and is undecorated. This spoon is carved in a light hardwood.

Large wooden whistle. Whistle is made of two pieces of wood, a back and a front, joined together at the sides. The mouth is oval in shape, with windway set inside. The neck is wrapped with strips of bark. The blade is long and slanted, rising to meet the shoulder, where many thin pieces of bark are wrapped to aid in the whistle’s joining. The body widens after the shoulder, and thin cotton thread is wrapped near the bottom. The wood has been shaved and worked to create a rounded end.

Staff made of a solid piece of rounded wood, tapering slightly toward the bottom. A silver grip crowns the top of the staff and is decorated with incised designs of plants, trees, and lines. Several narrow silver bands encircle the staff, some with incised linear decoration. A thick, braided silver wire criss-crosses down the length of the staff with a silver cross dangling at its end. The bottom of the stick is encased in a sheet of undecorated metal that narrows to a sharp tip.

Set of five costume bells. Parts d, e, and f are iron cow bells with wood clappers. Each has a wide top loop that connects it to its leather strap. Part d has a brass buckle in a chevron in shape, with a single remaining prong. Silver metal studs secure the strap’s loop, 3 both above and below the buckle. Part e has a square buckle square made of iron wire. Several belt holes are pierced into the strap, and two rusted studs hold it together at back. Part f has a wide leather strap, dark brown-yellow in colour. Its oval buckle with a central prong is made of thin metal wire. Three belt holes pierce the leather. Parts g and h are identical: each has a small brass bell, wider at base, with brass clappers. They are attached by a leather thong to a large, wide strap. Small, square brass buckles with a central prong close belt at front and back. The ends of the belt are cut into three wide fringes, with the central feeding into the buckles. Brass studs decorate the belt front and back above the buckles. (Also, see mask: 2956/202 a, and costume: 2956/202 b-c.)

Rattle shows five people (angels?) dressed in white robes cinched with red wool belts. Two also wear woolen skirts in red, blue, green, and white stripes with a shoulder sash. Each figure has short brown hair with a blue ribbon, a pink face, and stitched-on features in black thread. Each is connected to a small, round, two piece, unpainted wooden clapper. Bottle caps are attached to the bottom of the rattle’s cross shaped platform in pairs. The long handle protrudes from the bottom of the platform and is made of wood and metal, decorated with plastic tape in red and white.

The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.