Tlingit, Northwest Coast
Mid-19th century
Wood
Height 10¾ in. (27.3 cm), width 3 in. (7.6 cm)
Provenance: The Stanley Miller Collection of Native American Art
This Tlingit soapberry spoon dates to the mid-19th century and is carved from a single piece of wood with formline mammalian and avian motifs covering the handle. Soapberry spoons were used to serve sxusem, a whipped berry dish prepared for feasting and ceremonial occasions. The narrow hook-nosed visage at the terminal of the handle is a recognized form within Tlingit spoon carving.
The surface has developed a warm, well-used patina consistent with sustained ceremonial handling over generations. The formline decoration is incised with precision across the length of the handle, integrating animal imagery into the structure of the object rather than applying it as surface ornament. Its provenance from the Stanley Miller Collection of Native American Art places it within a documented and serious collecting context.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Tlingit, Northwest Coast
Mid-19th century
Wood
Height 10¾ in. (27.3 cm), width 3 in. (7.6 cm)
Provenance: The Stanley Miller Collection of Native American Art
This Tlingit soapberry spoon dates to the mid-19th century and is carved from a single piece of wood with formline mammalian and avian motifs covering the handle. Soapberry spoons were used to serve sxusem, a whipped berry dish prepared for feasting and ceremonial occasions. The narrow hook-nosed visage at the terminal of the handle is a recognized form within Tlingit spoon carving.
The surface has developed a warm, well-used patina consistent with sustained ceremonial handling over generations. The formline decoration is incised with precision across the length of the handle, integrating animal imagery into the structure of the object rather than applying it as surface ornament. Its provenance from the Stanley Miller Collection of Native American Art places it within a documented and serious collecting context.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
