Relics of the American West: 1850-1920 - ONLINE ONLY
Lot 2421:
Description
This compelling ethnographic trio features a carved bone adze handle decorated with traditional geometric dot-and-line motifs, featuring an iron blade securely hafted with natural cordage. The collection is accompanied by a stone club encased in aged rawhide with a weathered wood handle, and a hand-forged steel ulu knife displaying a distinct rectangular maker’s mark. These pieces likely originate from Arctic or Northern indigenous traditions, representing a fascinating era of transition between traditional materials and trade metals. The bone adze shows a warm, aged patina with minor surface fissures; the rawhide on the stone club is heavily dried and brittle with some loss near the head; the steel ulu exhibits heavy oxidation and honest pitting consistent with significant age. Adze: H 13″, W 6.75″, D 1.75″. Club: H 8″, W 2.75″, D 2.25″. Ulu: H 5.5″, W 7.75″, D 0.1″.
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