This model pole was produced by an as-yet-unidentified Nuu-chah-nulth carver who worked for the Ye Olde Curiosity Shop (YOCS) in Seattle, Washington, in the first quarter of the 20th century. Although we do not currently know the name of this artist, the consistent style and iconography of their poles – along with their preference for distinctively thick wooden bases carved from the same wood as the pole – allows us to identify this as the same maker as the poles illustrated on page 173 in the book 1001 Curious Things: Ye Olde Curiosity Shop and Native American Art. [1]

This is an unusually well-carved example of this artist’s work that features a dogfish (shark), raven, and a beaver with an anthropomorphic face for a tail. This maker, while probably a local Seattle Nuu-chah-nulth or Coast Salish artist, was adept at recreating northern styles in their poles and favoured northern subject matter. This pole reflects that ability and shares features with both Haida and Tsimshian styles.

1. Kate Duncan, 1001 Curious Things: Ye Olde Curiosity Shop and Native American Art (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 173).

Christopher W. Smith