Lot 186
Early First Nations Haida Argillite Totem Pole
Early First Nations Haida Argillite Totem Pole
Starting Bid: $900
(0 Bids)- Register to Bid
- To increase your bid limit, Get Verified .
First Nations / Canada, British Columbia, Queen Charlotte Islands, Haida Gwaii, Haida people, ca. 19th century CE. An early and quite interesting argillite totem from coastal Vancouver Island. Carved in three registers with owl sitting upon top with wide eyes comprised from inlaid shell. He is sitting upon a wolf, also with shell eyes. Finally, the base is composed of a beaver, its tail draped over the front of the totem. The reverse is incised with simple designs of whale, bird's eye and zoomorphic head with large eye and toothy grin, all contained inside a cartouche-like border. Size: 2.5" W x 7.75" H (6.4 cm x 19.7 cm)
Argillite is a fine grained sedimentary rock that is essentially made of hardened 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.
This item has been tested using XRF technology and has been shown to be composed of argellite.
Provenance: Private Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA collection; ex-George Schaffer collection, Washington, USA, acquired in the late 1800s
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
SHIPPING EXCEPTIONS: Due to customs clearance issues, we are unable to ship to Germany, Switzerland and Australia. If you live in Germany, Switzerland or Australia, you will need to provide an alternate shipping destination, or we will not be able to complete your purchase. In addition, please note that we are unable to ship ancient items back to the original country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.)
PAYMENT EXCEPTION: Unless a known customer of Artemis, payment for all gold / precious metal / gem lots must be made via Bank Wire Transfer or Certified Bank Check/Money Order, no exceptions.
#182296
- Condition: Expected scuffs to surface as anticipated for an object of somewhat soft stone after 140 years.
Accepted Forms of Payment:
American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Shipping
Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense
Artemis Fine Arts
You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.
View full terms and conditions
| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $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 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |