Native American, northern Pacific Northwest coast, Haida from Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Island), British Columbia, ca. early 20th century CE. A particularly fine example of an argillite totem, hand-carved to display a vertical profusion of animals stacked atop each other and flowing into each other through the use of similar carved forms and motifs. This example is capped by a proud eagle, and includes a human, a raven, and a fox eating a frog. They are carved as one with an integral platform and the totem stands easily on its own. Size: 2.45" W x 12.5" H (6.2 cm x 31.8 cm)

Argillite is a fine grained sedimentary rock that is essentially made of mud and ooze; it often has a smooth appearance like this example. In the 19th century, the Haida people began to carve this material as a trade good for visiting Europeans and Americans, because of the decline of their traditional economic practice of fishing. Items like this one served as a way to show their artistic merit and introduce some of their iconography to the outside world.

Provenance: private Newport Beach, California, USA collection

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#133551

Repaired at center; repair is well done and almost impossible see. Excellent preservation of motifs and details.