The Thompson Family Seated Human Effigy Feast Ladle
Algonquian, first half 18th century

This important Delaware region human effigy feast ladle is very large in scale which gives it a strong sculptural presence. The bowl is carved exceptionally thin and the figure sitting atop the incurvate crook of the handle has delicate open carving between the arms and legs. Above the figure's proper right eye is a carved feather pattern (likely representing a tattoo or headdress). A small cavity is present on the chest where the heart would be, (it is unclear whether this was carved or incidental to age). It maintains an extremely desirable dry surface with remarkable patination to the figure.

Provenance: The ladle was found decades ago in the basement of the Alexander Thompson homestead, in Thompson Ridge, Orange County, New York.

The figure seen here is powerfully portrayed. The face is minimally carved with only the eyes and nose delineated (there is no mouth). This reductive carving is representative of great Woodlands sculpture; the maker was looking to capture the essence of the subject--it is not an attempt at portraiture. Similar faces are seen on pre-contact stone maskettes (please see Willoughby, Antiquities of the New England Indians. Cambridge: Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, 1973, p.163) and on an important Southern New England ash burl human effigy bowl (Powers, North American Burl Treen: Colonial & Native American. Brooklyn, NY, 2005, pps. 100-102).

The full figure sits with backside to the ground, knees up and arms forward. The same seated posture has ancient precedents and is seen on Woodlands works dating back to at least 50 b.c.-a.d. 250 (Brose, Ancient Art of the American Woodlands Indians, p. 67).
It has also been found on a small sample of ladles and pipes. A smaller Mohawk ladle (American Museum of Natural History catalogue no. 50.1/1555) collected at the Saint Regis Reservation, Franklin Co., NY displays a similar character (though seated in the opposite direction). Another related effigy ladle (private collection), descended within a Herkimer Co., NY family, also presents a full-seated figure which faces the bowl.

William Thompson (ca. 1700- ca. 1780) came from England to America in 1729 and settled near Hamptonburgh, Orange Co., NY (The Original Houses on Thompson Ridge 1778-1822). He later acquired 600 acres and his three sons, Alexander (1739-1814), Andrew (ca. 1741-1804), and Robert (1742-1832) divided the property between them. Alexander took the best lot and built a fine home and a working farm. His son, Alexander II (1782-1868) later took over the property and became one of the area's most successful farmers (Seese, Old Orange Houses, Vol II, 1941, p.85). In 1803, Alexander II married Hannah Bull (1783-1865), a descendant of William Bull (1689-1775) and Sarah Wells (1694-1796), of Hamptonburgh, Orange Co., NY. Sarah Wells was the daughter of Christopher Denn, who was a partner of the original Wawayanda Patent. She was also the first permanent settler of Orange County. The story of Sarah Wells has been written about many times-here from the New York Times' article of September 14, 1884, ""William Bull's Fortune"": ""...a sixteen year old girl [Sarah Wells] trampling in the wilderness where no white man had ever been before, and not a civilized being lived, with wild men [Indians] as her guides...."" It is not unreasonable to speculate that Wells acquired this ladle as a gift from her Native guides or in trade with her Indian neighbors-and then it descended within the Bull/Thompson family line.

Though catalogued as first-half 18th century, it is possibly 17th century. The carving is unacculturated and judging from the wear and patination, it had years (if not generations) of ceremonial use before it passed into the hands of the colonial family. L. 12 in.

Provenance: William Thompson (ca. 1700- ca. 1780) came from England to America in 1729 and settled near Hamptonburgh, Orange Co., NY (THE ORIGINAL HOUSES ON THOMPSON RIDGE 1778-1822). He later acquired 600 acres and his three sons, Alexander (1739-1814), Andrew (ca. 1741-1804), and Robert (1742-1832) divided the property between them. Alexander took the best lot and built a fine home and a working farm. His son, Alexander II (1782-1868) later took over the property and became one of the areas most successful farmers (Seese, OLD ORANGE HOUSES, Vol II, 1941, p.85).In 1803, Alexander II married Hannah Bull (1783-1865), a descendant of William Bull (1689-1775) and Sarah Wells (1694-1796), of Hamptonburgh, Orange Co., NY. Sarah Wells was the daughter of Christopher Denn, who was a partner of the original Wawayanda Patent. She was also the first permanent settler of Orange County.The story of Sarah Wells has been written about many times-here from the New York Times, September 14, 1884, William Bull's Fortune, "...a sixteen year old girl [Sarah Wells] trampling in the wilderness where no white man had ever been before, and not a civilized being lived, with wild men [Indians] as her guides...." It is not unreasonable to speculate that Wells acquired this ladle as a gift from her Native guides or in trade through her Indian neighbors-and then it descended within the Bull/Thompson family line.


The Peter Brams Collection

Estimate: $40,000-80,000

The Peter Brams Collection of Important Woodlands Indian Art

Retains a desirable mellow old patina. There is an old crack approximately 4 inches long from lip of bowl and five small holes near the lip as evidence of an early repair. A small (3/4 inch long) section of wood is missing adjacent to crack. Condition: retains a desirable warm mellow patina. Very old crack approximately 4 inches long from lip of bowl and five small holes near the lip as evidence of an early repair. A small (3/4 inch long) section of wood is missing adjacent to crack at edge if bowl ( please see photos)