BILL REID (IIJUWAS), O.B.C., R.C.A. (1920-1998), HAIDA
Grizzly Bear Brooch / Pendant, early 1950s
silver, 1.88 x 1.88 in (4.8 x 4.8 cm)
inscribed and signed, "HAIDA ART / REID" with later added pendant findings.

Provenance
Commissioned from the artist by Isaac Hans as a gift to his daughter, Gladys (Jiixa) Vandal, a Haida weaver, early 1950s;
by descent in the family.

This work is an early piece created during Bill Reid’s first few years after returning from Toronto in 1951, where he had worked for the CBC and studied jewelry-making at Ryerson Institute of Technology. During this time, he created jewelry for cultural commissions such as this one, pieces for friends, and some for the limited market. He was maturing as a Haida artist and reconnecting with his extended family in Haida Gwaii, learning about crests, family history, and interacting with other artists. Reid’s skill and reputation would soon grow, and his energy would be directed to monumental and often multi-year projects. Often throughout his career, however, he would withdraw from the limelight to concentrate on making miniatures and masterworks in precious metals and mixed media.

The grizzly bear became a frequent subject that he would explore in jewelry, ornate boxes, totem poles, prints, drawings, and a large sculpture for the UBC Museum of Anthropology. Many of these pieces represent events that occur in the “Bear Mother Myth,” an iconic Haida story.

Gary Wyatt
<br. The grizzly bear crest, as conveyed by the original owner of this piece, is among the select few crests that the Naa ‘Uwans Xaaydaga clan is permitted to adorn. This specific custom design is rooted in this tradition. Originally commissioned by Isaac Hans (a respected argillite carver) as a present for his daughter Gladys (Jiixa) Vandal, an esteemed Haida weaver, the work has been handed down through the family. Vandal remembered receiving this art piece as a young girl, which helps us date the creation to the early 1950s.

The highly polished swells of the active figure of the bear provide sharp contrast to the deftly rendered cross-hatched background. Positioned frontward, the grizzly tightly enfolds its limbs within the lower register. A meticulously notched double border frames the grizzly bear motif like a halo.