A large and impressive model totem pole by Kwakwaka’wakw artist Ellen Neel that features a thunderbird over an anthropomorphic beaver, this pole is in excellent condition and features the highly desirable white underpaint and individually attached wings found on Neel’s best work.

Neel was the first known woman to be a professional Northwest Coast carver and her legacy continues to grow as scholars and collectors increasingly recognize her contributions to the history and future of Northwest Coast art. In addition to breaking down barriers as a woman carving, Neel was also an innovator in art production and marketing methods and one of the first Indigenous artists to sell their designs to be printed on everyday objects.

The pole was originally in the personal collection of author Reg Ashwell (1921-2010), who was also the founder and original owner of Pegasus Gallery on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia. Ashwell was a friend of Neel’s who authored two popular booklets on Northwest Coast art: Indian Tribes of the Northwest (1977) and Coast Salish: Their Art, Culture, and Legends (1978). Ashwell eventually sold Pegasus Gallery along with this pole, which in turn sold the pole to the current owner. There is a vintage photo of Ashwell with the pole which is included in this sale.

Christopher W. Smith

References: A slightly smaller pole with minor differences was sold at Seahawk's Auctions, Burnaby, BC, 22 June 2014, Lot 207. For additional information on Neel’s career see Scott Watson’s essay “Art/Craft in Early 20th Century” Eds. Charlotte Townsend-Gault, Jennifer Kramer, and Ḳi-ḳe-in, Native Art of the Northwest Coast: A History of Changing Ideas, (Vancouver: UBC Press, 2013), pp. 348-378.