Featured 3 Northwest Coast Pieces Souvenirs? Commercial?

Though there were some who kept the flame alive.
And in some areas, carving souvenirs for sale to tourists was encouraged while carving for actual ceremonial use was banned - and the carvers would hide references to culturally significant crests within their souvenirs as a kind of in-joke, and another way to not forget who they were.
Because those times were "dead" in a sense, they are often neglected, yet a thoughtful study of what was happening then can be rewarding.
It is a mistake though to assume that any bad carving must have been native-made during those times, by a native who had forgotten his heritage; when it may well just be a bad non-native item from then or from a later time.

 

It is from a time-period when one would expect a signature; though it is often not easy to tell what the lack of signature means.
Possibly Squamish, and likely native-made, but there is a rather odd "softness" to the forms.

 

I'm assuming the time-period to be 70's - 90's ?

 

Early American & Primitives,cool.

 

I wouldn't go that early; late 90s at the earliest, and possibly as recent as this year.

 

leading me to surmise a Salish carver !!

 

the eye depth * no stop cuts..)....and the way the back undulates........I'm ok with late 70's early 80;s

 

I appreciate the input by all who have chimed in on this piece. Known origin a bit more of a challenge when unsigned. Info I got from the seller, which always must be taken with a grain of salt and may mean nothing as to where it was carved. . . 'that he purchased it in 2018 from a collector of Northwestern items who had bought it in the 80s or 90s when living in Valdes, Alaska.' With my very limited knowledge, I felt there was some quality and thought the form had presence. Curiously seller does not think it's cedar, being quite heavy. Will examine it further next week when it Arrives.

 

hummm, u sly thing you !!

still......it may be alder.....if it's northern...
I never opined on the wood......but what looks like a single straight blade did the carving.....and that's more of a Salish trait.

Still .... Alaska is where I shine , least .....and carvings had a way of moving up and down the coast.....

and sellers stories.............. always in question !!

it's a nice strong eagle though...

 

Omitted the sellers story originally seeing it could be total BS or possibly accurate. Wanted to see what you folks in the know thought simply on it's form, carving detail, etc. Just watched Herb Rice carving talk and found it very interesting - he mentions alder wood..

 

interesting !

nothing I didn't already know....though..

 

I don't see anything unreasonable in the seller's story. My guess is it might have migrated up to Alaska, after being made by a member of one of the Salish subgroups active in Southern BC, both around Vancouver and Victoria. Squamish, Musqueam, many others. They often carve quite quickly, along the waterfront, for example, to attract tourists; and often do not sign their pieces. Also known for using woods that might be less common, and staining them - flats done in pine, to name one. All of which fits. This doesn't look like pine, and I don't have an opinion on the wood, though alder is one possibility.
But of course Salish individuals might have migrated to Alaska also. These days there is a lot of mixing as far as "home- base," and there are Tlingits and Kwakiutl living in Seattle; many Tsimshian in Alaska, and so on; so one can't necessarily judge tribal origin by where a newer piece was made, or vice versa.