Description:

Native American, Pacific Northwest, ca. early 20th century CE. A delightful component of a pipe, hand-carved from argilite or a similar type of soft pipe stone, with incised decoration giving detail to the form. The pipe depicts a raven in the classic artistic style of the native Northwest cultures, with a large-beaked head, a wide eye with lid, and a body with clasped wings that echoes the form of the head. Ravens are totemic animals, and symbols of power, prestige, and leadership. Argillite is a fine grained sedimentary rock that is essentially a rock made of mud and ooze; it often have a smooth appearance like this. 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" W x 1.85" H (5.1 cm x 4.7 cm)

Provenance: private collection of Dr. Evan Maurer, former Curator of the Minneapolis Art Institute (USA)

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#132092

  • Condition: Patina on surface from age and handling; nicely preserved features. Seems likely to have been used.

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April 5, 2018 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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