SHADOWS OF THE THUNDERBIRD: black

Showing posts with label black. Show all posts

244. Black Plaster Steer Totem

Unusual plaster or composite piece, in a fanciful design style, featuring a steer skull and a naked human figure holding fish.

Style is not based on standard first nations forms, but loosely follows a design which seems more African in origin, apart from the skull headpiece.

Vaguely similar decoration to no.212, with obscure script running around the base, echoing a number of different types of symbol. Presumably fairly modern and mass market production.

No visible trade marks and hand finished.

236. Black Resin Thunderbird with Wings

Striking model of Thunderbird with wings opening as if ready to fly. No makers mark, sticker on rear. Slight repair to one ear.4” high

235. Miniature Black Thunderbird Totem

Small black resin piece, no makers marks. Possibly Boma or Pearlite. 2” high See 148. For similarities.

232. Boma Seal Shaped Grease Bowl

Large 7” long resin cast bowl with ceramic style liner. Made by Boma inTsimshian style.

Representing a seal with flippers and flat tail.

222. Swityk Tundra Raven Pair

Five inch ceramic totems, made by Swityk. Advertised as bookends, but probably just two separate items. One has cream coloured finish like similar Swityk designs (See 161, 160). Second version has brilliant white finish, possibly retouched.

Cast from resin with white painted finish, mass market tourist items.

Both show stylised Raven character bearing the salmon to human kind.

https://ztevetevans.wordpress.com/2018/04/04/haida-tales-raven-and-the-coming-of-the-salmon/

196. Boma Raven Dish

Boma Resin dish made in the Tsimshian style. Spoon came separately See no. 68. and .19

Marked 'Tofino B.C Canada'

Style based on traditional ceremonial ware and ornamental dance rattles. See 200.

193. Black Pearlite Eagle Totem

Black Pearlite model crowned with an Eagle with wings outspread. Model appears to be the inspiration for the slightly cruder and more garish No. 73

Note the slight curve to the pose of the Eagle, this feature is more exagerrated on No.73 and I assumed it to be a moulding error.

192. Boma Black Resin Raven

Seven inch approx. Standard black resin, broken and repaired at some point. The break occurred just below the Wasco or Sea Wolf's pectoral fins and has not been attached straight. I am debating whether to try and separate it and re-set.

Good rendition of Raven on the top, with Sea Wolf and Beaver below.

185. Boma Black Resin Watchmen Totem

Beaver with face on cheat supports a second unknown animal holding a stick (bear?) A hat decorates the top of the pole.

184. Edmund Wolf Black Resin Totem

See No. 121

182. Black Resin Bear with Hat

3" high, no makers mark. Good quality casting of a bear with elongated status cap or hat.

170. Black Resin Twin Thunderbird Pole

A 6" resin pole, which seems to be either the inspiration for or a copy of N0.116. As the bronze metal version is dated 1953 on the base, I would hesitate to suggest that the resin version is older, as production of this style still continues today.

The 1953 version features a greater degree of stylisation, so the lowest creature on the pole - possibly a sea monster - is reduced to curves and filligrees on the metal version. This seems to be being carried by a thunderbird with a human face (Hok-Hok ? Kolus ?), topped by an owl, a raven and a thunderbird at the top.

The resin version has no makers mark, but may have traces of the word 'canada' on the front of the stand, presumably removed from the master before casting.