Description:

North America, Native American, Pacific Northwest, probably Haida people, ca. 20th century CE. A totem made of black argillite with an eagle atop a man atop a bird whose body ends in a whale tail. Argillite is a fine grained sedimentary rock that is essentially a rock made of mud and ooze; they often have a smooth appearance like this one. In the 19th century, the Haida people began to carve this material as a trade good with visiting Europeans and Americans, because of the decline of their traditional economic options 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. Size: 2.05" L x 1.4" W x 9.7" H (5.2 cm x 3.6 cm x 24.6 cm)

Provenance: Ex-Private Orange County, CA collection

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#118255

  • Condition: Slight wear and scratching to surface

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January 19, 2017 7:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000