Photo Catalog Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
Display of Native trade items, circa 1880-1910 |
Image # |
75.5.11.5 |
Object Name |
Print, Photographic |
Date |
1880-1910 |
Photographer |
Unknown |
Location |
Southeastern Alaska/Howkan, Alaska |
Description |
Display of Native trade items including the Single Eye Robe (appears to be a Chilkat robe with elements of Ravenstail weaving), model totem poles, baskets, paddles, spoons, argillite, silver, and horn items. Century - 19 09/19/2023: This photograph and information about it appears in the book, "The Raven's Tail" by Cheryl on pages 140-141. "This exquisite robe exists, to date, only in a photograph which was donated to the Tongass Historical Society by Dorothy Gould Young, a relative of the Reverend J. Loomis Gould, the first Presbyterian missionary to the Haida people in Howkan, Alaska, 1884-1902 (personal communication, Suellen Liljeblad, Senior Curator of Collections, Tongass Historical Museum). Because the whereabouts of the actual robe are unknown, the photograph is extremely valuable as another example of the variety of techniques and design combinations which were used by the northern weavers. This robe must be imagined in colour. White, black, yellow, and black and white borders surround a basically white design field. Upon this field are placed concentric figures, the interiors of which have alternated in colour between yellow and green. Underneath the concentric forms is a discrete formline image featuring a single eye. Long black tassels hang from both of the lower corners of each of the units. The black of these tassels and white background must have vivily accentuated the richness of the yellow and green forms." "Design: The Heading and Selvage Band and Borders- The heading and selvage bands are white. The selvage pattern is a black line which travels around the perimeter of the robe. White, black, and yellow borders surround the central design field. The black and yellow borders are separated by a white line. Inside the yellow border is a fourth border designed in two-colour twining patterns. Black and white and white and black units of zig-zag line designs alternate across the top and bottom of the robe. Down the sides, the two-colour twining pattern resembles the "shadow of the tree" design. As can be seen in the photograph, the bottom borders of the robe are curved. The width of these borders is considerably smaller at the sides of the robe than it is in the centre; this increase would account for the lower curve." |
Print size |
22.8 cm x 13.90 cm |
Search Terms |
Northwest Coast Raven's Tail Weaving Basketry Basket Spoon Trade Items Canoe Paddle Argillite Silver |
Relation |
Show Related Records... |
Notes on Related Objects |
Photograph published in "The Raven's Tail" by Cheryl Samuel, see 141. |
Credit line |
Ketchikan Museums: Tongass Historical Society Collection, THS 75.5.11.5 |