Tlingit, Alaska
1880
Cedar wood with trade beads
Length 10¼ in. (26 cm), width 4¾ in. (12.1 cm)
Provenance: Wisconsin trade
This Tlingit ceremonial bowl is carved in a spirit wolf form, with the head, body, and paws integrated into the vessel structure. Bowls of this kind relate to Northwest Coast feasting and potlatch activity, where carved vessels served both practical and symbolic roles. The animal form gives the piece a strong ceremonial character while remaining functional as a bowl.
The cedar surface shows warm wear from age and handling, with trade beads used as small points of detail along the body and face. The deep hollowed interior and rounded exterior show careful shaping, with the animal form worked around the vessel rather than applied as separate decoration. Its compact scale, patina, and Alaska provenance place it firmly within late 19th-century Tlingit carving traditions.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Tlingit, Alaska
1880
Cedar wood with trade beads
Length 10¼ in. (26 cm), width 4¾ in. (12.1 cm)
Provenance: Wisconsin trade
This Tlingit ceremonial bowl is carved in a spirit wolf form, with the head, body, and paws integrated into the vessel structure. Bowls of this kind relate to Northwest Coast feasting and potlatch activity, where carved vessels served both practical and symbolic roles. The animal form gives the piece a strong ceremonial character while remaining functional as a bowl.
The cedar surface shows warm wear from age and handling, with trade beads used as small points of detail along the body and face. The deep hollowed interior and rounded exterior show careful shaping, with the animal form worked around the vessel rather than applied as separate decoration. Its compact scale, patina, and Alaska provenance place it firmly within late 19th-century Tlingit carving traditions.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
