Featured Antique Northwest Coast Halibut / Fish Club , Tlingit .. Kwakiutl ..

".any questions or comments at all..... will be most welcomed."

and I meant it !!! salt & all !!!

 

What animal do you think is represented by the main figures on your clubs? I find the legs curious. Other examples I have seen have similar heads, presumably a sea lion/seal, and indicate flippers rather than legs.
https://collections.nmnh.si.edu/search/anth/
https://collections.si.edu/search/detail/edanmdm:NMAI_61120?q="Hunting/Fishing/Warfare"&fq=data_source:"National+Museum+of+the+American+Indian"&fq=online_media_type:"Images"&fq=culture:"Northwest+Coast"&fq=object_type:"Fish+club"&record=14&hlterm="Hunting/Fishing/Warfare"&inline=true
https://collections.rom.on.ca/objects/502907/club?ctx=ffc9464e-bb0e-45c3-a0f9-4f6013c3d115&idx=22
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/23479/lot/191/?category=list
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/24850/lot/410/

 

the thick one, may be a wolf, or sea otter.....both good hunters.
the thin one.... a wolf .. ? , human , and killer whale......all good pack hunters..

the sea lion is a fine hunter and a big sea predator , and was used extensively on many clubs....

but not all clubs are sea lions...


WOLF
.

ORCA

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The stylized carving on this club may represent an otter or another predator adept at catching fish. Images of predators add power to the club.

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this one is hard to see but the way the wood links are carved at the end of the handle........makes me think of mine with that fist!

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/old-northwest-coast-tlingit-haida-effigy-seal-war

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and the king of em all , yaw......... a LION.....

 

nice one from your 1st link...

 

? which auction should I look for them in?

 

Maynards , April 13....
& don't just look..........go hard !!!!

 

? couldn't find them in preview

 

hopefully soon.... I got them in late...as usual..
but....I have the papers now...so they will be there!

 

good luck with your items for sale, hope you make lots of money

 

as with any auction......sometimes u eat the bear....sometimes the bear eats you....

u may want to keep your eye on it....as it's near you....and you could snag a nice piece of wood , silver or gold!!!!!

 

Lovely object.

Probably not much help but this one looks quite similar to yours. Apparently collected in 1886.

https://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/aborig/tsimsian/images/menfi08b.jpg

https://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/aborig/tsimsian/menfi01e.html

 

that one is nice , with very good form line carving of the creature...

 

sorry for the late update , but worth knowing they sold at auction for $1200...each....plus juice !!!!

 

Well done! Congrats.

 

Sounds great! Hope you're happy with that!

 

delighted......& they got the attention of others who recognized the history and quality , like I did .......as well as others here too !

 

Interesting UPDATE........kinda...

The thinner club with the clenched fist , is being offered in a Dec auction....estimate .. 3000 to 5000 $ CDN...

the provenance is weak , only mentioning...a private collector.
and so far, only one photo, of the clean side.
This could change......

The same high end auction house refused to take them in when I offered the both to them in March & again in Sept of 2021..........

So 1950's. ...I don't think so
we see them around........no, we really don't
grrrrrrrr....

not that I think it will sell either....but someone now thinks this club is a winner !!!

but one never knows, does one ?

 

It's an interesting journey to be able to 'watch' this object move from person to person, place to place, with a variety of opinions and interpretations.

I'm always fascinated to think about how many other people and places old collectible objects like this have undergone, long before they've reached this internet-informed age.

 

If this is an

If this is an auction house you have used before, or intend to use again, I think I would have a word with them.......

 

in a way...I kinda did !
but I'm a small fish.....& they get to choose the items they accept.....my expertise be damned...