Argillite
Height 16 3/4 in / 42.5 cm
Provenance: Bill Henderson, Washington
This Haida argillite model totem pole was made in British Columbia in 1890. Full-scale totem poles on the Northwest Coast served as public expressions of lineage, history, status, and inherited rights, while smaller model poles translated that monumental tradition into a collectible format. In the late 19th century, Haida artists also produced argillite carvings for an expanding outside market, including model poles, pipes, panels, and figures.
The tall vertical form is carved with a sequence of stacked beings, each integrated into the narrow column of black stone. The dense argillite allows for sharp detail, polished surfaces, and compact formline carving within a small scale. Its height, date, and Bill Henderson provenance make it a strong example of late 19th-century Haida argillite work.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Argillite
Height 16 3/4 in / 42.5 cm
Provenance: Bill Henderson, Washington
This Haida argillite model totem pole was made in British Columbia in 1890. Full-scale totem poles on the Northwest Coast served as public expressions of lineage, history, status, and inherited rights, while smaller model poles translated that monumental tradition into a collectible format. In the late 19th century, Haida artists also produced argillite carvings for an expanding outside market, including model poles, pipes, panels, and figures.
The tall vertical form is carved with a sequence of stacked beings, each integrated into the narrow column of black stone. The dense argillite allows for sharp detail, polished surfaces, and compact formline carving within a small scale. Its height, date, and Bill Henderson provenance make it a strong example of late 19th-century Haida argillite work.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
