UNIDENTIFIED TLINGIT ARTIST, Pair of Bird Forms, 19th century

UNIDENTIFIED TLINGIT ARTIST

Pair of Bird Forms, 19th century

each abalone, each 2 x 4.5 x 0.25 in (5.1 x 11.4 x 0.6 cm)
with an affixed sticker, in ink, "King Fisher [torn] / Heliotis [sic] shell / Tlingit Indians [sic] / NW American / 19th Cent. V. Rare / PAL —"

LOT 157
ESTIMATE: $1,200 — $1,800

Jewelry and personal adornment have long been signifiers of status and wealth for Indigenous peoples on the Northwest Coast. Prior to the introduction of silver, copper and abalone shell were...

Jewelry and personal adornment have long been signifiers of status and wealth for Indigenous peoples on the Northwest Coast. Prior to the introduction of silver, copper and abalone shell were used to make earrings and other jewelry. This pair of bird form earrings is carved from abalone shell and is unusual for consisting of full cutout figures. In researching these earrings, most of the comparables were just square or oval in shape. However, there is a similar pair of bird form earrings in the collection of the Burke Museum (identification number 2177) from the Stikine Tlingit that was collected by George T. Emmons in the 19th century. Although the note on the back identifies these as King Fishers, they may more likely represent Ravens.

Provenance

Private Collection, Montreal;
Estate of the above.

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