Tlingit, Northwest Coast
Horn, abalone shell, copper
Height 11 in. (27.9 cm), width 3¼ in. (8.3 cm)
Provenance: Sotheby's New York, label on custom base; The Stanley Miller Collection of Native American Art, acquired from the above
This Tlingit potlatch spoon features a separately carved handle depicting a bear surmounted by a long beaked bird, with inlaid abalone shell accents and a face incised at the back. The deep horn scoop is attached to the handle with hand-forged copper rivets, combining multiple materials into a single ceremonial object. Potlatch spoons of this construction were prestige objects used in feasting contexts where the quality of serving ware reflected the status of the host.
The handle carving is executed with precision, the bear and bird figures stacked in a vertical composition consistent with Northwest Coast crest conventions. Abalone inlay adds reflective surface detail to the carved figure, a technique common in high-quality Tlingit work of the period. The Stanley Miller Collection provenance, with prior Sotheby's New York history, places this spoon within a well-documented collecting lineage.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Tlingit, Northwest Coast
Horn, abalone shell, copper
Height 11 in. (27.9 cm), width 3¼ in. (8.3 cm)
Provenance: Sotheby's New York, label on custom base; The Stanley Miller Collection of Native American Art, acquired from the above
This Tlingit potlatch spoon features a separately carved handle depicting a bear surmounted by a long beaked bird, with inlaid abalone shell accents and a face incised at the back. The deep horn scoop is attached to the handle with hand-forged copper rivets, combining multiple materials into a single ceremonial object. Potlatch spoons of this construction were prestige objects used in feasting contexts where the quality of serving ware reflected the status of the host.
The handle carving is executed with precision, the bear and bird figures stacked in a vertical composition consistent with Northwest Coast crest conventions. Abalone inlay adds reflective surface detail to the carved figure, a technique common in high-quality Tlingit work of the period. The Stanley Miller Collection provenance, with prior Sotheby's New York history, places this spoon within a well-documented collecting lineage.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
