Grave Figure Item Number: A17026 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Carved wooden figure of a standling male (no longer has arms); shallow carved facial features; nails used as eyes, carved as wearing a hat.

History Of Use

Said to have been carved as a grave marker, in the Similkameen Valley area.

Narrative

The Princeton and District Pioneer Museum is thought to hold a photographic plate of this carving. The photo was reproduced in a book by Margaret Ormsby, titled "A Pioneer Gentlewoman in British Columbia: The Recollections of Susan Allison". In the book, the image (plate 17) is captioned: "An Indian statue presented as a gift to Mrs. Allison by her Similkameen Indian friends." There is also said to be a photograph taken c. 1895 that shows Allison standing behind the figure, in which the caption states: "the wooden figure is a good example of Interior Salish Indian grave marker figures..." (photo at the Museum of Natural History?), and another photo from the same place/time (but without Allison in it), is said to be in the BC Archives. Allison moved to Princeton c. 1868, with her husband, until her retirement to Vancouver in the 1920s. It was not documented how the piece became part of the George Raley collection.

Item History

What

Name
Grave Figure
Identification Number
A17026
Type of Item
figure
Material
wood and metal
Manufacturing Technique
carved
Overall
height 142.0 cm, width 27.0 cm, depth 21.0 cm

Who

Culture
Interior Salish: Nlaka'pamux
Previous Owner
Susan Allison and George H. Raley
Received from
H. R. MacMillan (Funding source) and George H. Raley (Seller)

Where

Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
Made in
Princeton, British Columbia, Canada ?

When

Creation Date
before 1895
Collection Date
before 1948
Ownership Date
before 1937 and before November 1948
Acquisition Date
during November 1948

Other

Condition
fair
Current Location
Case 33
Accession Number
1960/0590