From card: "Old label: "Made of whale's skull. Handle, a bar between two upright end-pieces, terminating in animal heads. Ornamented by the conventional dot and circle." From late 19th or early 20th century Smithsonian exhibit label stored with the card: "Braking tool - Made of whale's skull. Handle, a bar between two upright end pieces, terminating in animal heads. Ornamented by the conventional dot and circle. Length of blade 9 inches. Washington Territory, 1854. Collected by George Catlin."Illus. Fig. 5.17, p. 88 in Brotherton, Barbara. 2008. S'abadeb = The gifts : Pacific Coast Salish arts and artists. Seattle: Seattle Art Museum in association with University of Washington Press. Figure caption notes: "This functional tool was used to break down the fibrous inner bark of the red cedar tree to make it pliable for weaving mats, hats and baskets, or to break down bark from the yellow cedar with which to weave robes, capes, and dresses. Softened bark was also used for bandages, baby diapers, and rope. The dried strips of bark cut in uniform lengths would be laid over a sharp edge - like a canoe paddle - and chopped with the shredder. ... On each end this shredder has identical creatures with open mouths, short ears, and rounded eyes. Each creature's foot, as well as the blade, is decorated with incised circles and dots."

Whale bone bark beater with six longitudinal grooves and tapered possible handle section. L.Phillips, 10/8/2009

FROM CARD: "ILLUS.: HNDBK. N. AMER. IND., VOL. 7, NORTHWEST COAST, FIG. 1 PP, PG. 3."

FROM CARD: "ILLUS.: HNDBK. N. AMER. IND., VOL. 7, NORTHWEST COAST, FIG. 100, PG. 3. IDENTIFIED THERE AS BARK PROCESSING TOOL OF PECKED STONE."

FROM CARD: "WHALE RIB. LENT TO MUSEO NACIONAL DE ANTROPOLOGIA, MAY 18, 1964." Loan returned 2012. Identified as Marine Mammal/Walrus bone, rather than whale, during preparation of affidavits on organic materials for Mexico loan return, 2011.