Feast Ladle, Native North America, Northwest Coast, Alaska, Tlingit, late 1800s–early 1900s
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
late 1800s–early 1900s
Feast Ladle in The Cleveland Museum of Art (accession 1953.386), classified by the museum as Miscellaneous, from Native North America, Northwest Coast, Alaska, Tlingit, dated late 1800s–early 1900s.
The museum records the material and technique as horn, bone, copper, abalone shell inlay. Measurements: Overall: 13 cm (5 1/8 in.). Museum description: Elaborate utensils, valuable possessions of Northwest Coast noble clans, were used during potlatch feasts. An imposing eagle hovers, patron-like, over this ladle’s bowl and the bounty it once served; a bear’s head appears on the underside of the bowl. Both may be crests, motifs that, like European heraldry, were exclusive to important families and referred to their histories and rights to control land and resources.
These details are transcribed from the museum's open-access record; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- horn, bone, copper, abalone shell inlay
- Dimensions
- Overall: 13 cm (5 1/8 in.)
Technical characteristics
- Classification
- Miscellaneous
- Culture recorded
- Native North America, Northwest Coast, Alaska, Tlingit
Identification
- Cma id
- 130674
- Museum object name
- Feast Ladle
- Museum object number
- 1953.386
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type, maker and date against a specialist reference.