UNKNOWN NUU-CHAH-NULTH CARVERS
Two Model Totem Poles, c. 1930s / 1940s
the first: wood and pigment, 8.5 x 6.75 x 2 in (21.6 x 17.1 x 5.1 cm)
unsigned;
the second: cedar wood and pigment, 6 x 1 x 1.25 in (15.2 x 2.5 x 3.2 cm)
unsigned;
the second: cedar wood and pigment, 6 x 1 x 1.25 in (15.2 x 2.5 x 3.2 cm)
LOT 3
ESTIMATE: $100 — $200
ESTIMATE: $100 — $200
Model poles have been made for sale since at least the late 19th century, and Nuu-chah-nulth artists were among the most prolific makers on the Northwest Coast. This pair of...
Model poles have been made for sale since at least the late 19th century, and Nuu-chah-nulth artists were among the most prolific makers on the Northwest Coast. This pair of poles were made by two different carvers in the 1930s or 1940s, but both originate from the Nuu-chah-nulth people of western Vancouver Island. It’s likely that these models would have been sold in curio shops in the tourist hubs of Seattle, Victoria, or Vancouver. The larger pole features a Thunderbird with spread wings over a human figure, mounted on a round cut of alder. The smaller pole features a crane or heron over a human figure.
Christopher W. Smith
Christopher W. Smith
Provenance
Private Collection, Toronto.Join Our Mailing List
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