George Nelson was a prolific carver from the Quatsino First Nation who made objects for sale and community use in the early to mid-20th century. Nelson worked in both miniature and monumental scales and was the creator of the Seated Chief Figure House Post from the Sea Lion House, now in the collection of the Museum of Anthropology at UBC (MOA) [1]. Several of his model poles and carved totem chests can also be found in the collections of the MOA and the Museum of Vancouver (MOV). While perhaps not as well known as some other mid-20th century Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw carvers, Nelson collaborated with anthropologist Edward Malin (b. 1923) on his master’s thesis and was posthumously featured in Malin’s book A World of Faces: Masks of the Northwest Coast Indians (1978).

This larger model pole features: Eagle or Thunderbird, diving Killer Whale, Sea Lion, and Bear holding Salmon, mounted on a chamfered base. Like his contemporary and fellow Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw carver Ellen Neel (1916-1966), Nelson’s model poles were often defined by brightly painted forms in red, green, and black. As with other larger model poles by Nelson, the claws, eyes, and teeth of this pole are enhanced with carving, and the wings of the top bird are individually pegged into the pole for a more dramatic presentation.

1. House Post. https://collection-online.moa.ubc.ca/search/item?keywords=George+nelson&row=0. Accessed 22 September 2025.

Christopher W. Smith