A rare Salish elk antler comb

18TH/19TH CENTURY

细节

A rare Salish elk antler comb
18th/19th century
Of slightly tapered rectangular form, decorated on one side with a central standing figure flanked by two smaller figures standing on a bar suspending four stylized heads, five further stylized heads at the top border, pierced each side of the head of the central figure which also has a further head carved on the abdomen, the reverse lightly engraved with a snake-like ornament, creamy patina
5in. (12.5cm.) high

来源

James T. Hooper, sold at Christie's, King Street, 17 June 1980, lot 3 (£1,000)

拍品专文

Bill Holm, former Curator of Northwest Coast Indian Art at the Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum, wrote to the previous owner that in his opinion the comb originated in the southern part of Washington state or on the lower Columbia River: elk antler was used for such articles in that area, and the style of the carving closely resembles that on bone and antler figures from that region. A copy of his statement can be made available to interested potential purchasers.
The comb was catalogued as "probably Taiwan" in the Hooper sale, but Prof. Chen Chi-Lu formerly of the National Taiwan University, and Prof. Chen, Cheng-Hsiung of the Museum of Formosan Primitive Art, refuted this suggestion in a letter to Bill Holm.