This large, well-carved Haida argillite pole dating to around 1890 features, from top to bottom: a bear, raven, raptor bird, and a bear holding a human mask or head. The figures on this substantial pole are all fully realized and well-sculpted, with finely incised formline designs on the birds' wings and chests. The discretely stacked configuration and the weight of the figures suggest a likely origin in Masset, Haida Gwaii. A strong indicator of the age of this pole is the hollowed out back and pronounced taper toward the top, which also serves to create some movement in the sculpture and to lighten up the overall composition. The craftsmanship and the balance between the figures are further enhanced by the pole’s mounting on a chamfered argillite base. This feature ties the work together, giving it both stability and a refined presentation typical of high-quality Haida argillite carvings from this period.

Christopher W. Smith