Native American, Pacific Northwest, probably Tlingit or Haida, ca. early to mid 20th century CE. A beautiful old hand-carved wooden totem pole, featuring the characteristic stacked animals that are such a charming and fantastical feature of art from this region. Carved from a reddish wood, probably cedar, and brightly painted on all but one side, the pole depicts bears, squirrels, and a raven. Orange-red, white, black, grey, and green pigment make this an unusually colorful example. The animals nest against one another, with the abstract details of one flowing into the next. Each has nice details, like the textured wings of the bird and the large clawed hands of the bears. Size: 1.5" W x 14.45" H (3.8 cm x 36.7 cm)

Initially, artists carved totem poles in the Pacific Northwest to represent family lineages, with families linked to sacred animals, or to pass on cultural tales. They were used as house posts, memorial markers, and even funerary containers. The moist environment of the region means that few totem poles survive from prior to 1900 CE. European explorers, seeing these amazing works of art, helped create a demand for smaller versions of these items created by native artisans.

Provenance: private Szurleys collection, Polson, Montana, USA, aquired at auction; ex private Gertrude Pearson collection

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#130049

Tiny losses to base; small loss to top animal. Wear to pigment as shown. Undecorated back has wear on surface from an old stand but overall the piece is in very nice condition.