Beschreibung:

carved possibly of Pacific Yew, with three pairs of repeating figures, a bear and anthropomorphic being; each duo is depicted in differing positions; a transformation is noticeable in the anthropomorphic being, portrayed by the changing horns; painted using red and black pigment; with rich, warm patina, overall length 58.25 in ca 1850-1870 The finely shaped, somewhat delicate forms of the bear’s head, eyes, and nostrils strongly suggest a Tsimshian origin for the staff, and the presence of such other-worldly spirit figures as these certainly implies a shamanic connection for the object. In his book Tangible Visions, the late Allen Wardwell illustrated about 20 examples of what he identified as shaman’s staffs. Of these, 3 or 4 have similar characteristics with this one, having carved figures separated by areas of cylindrical staff between them (numbers 325, 355, 337, 341). Number 337 is the most similar (only 14 inches shorter), with two figures, and said to possibly be Haida. Each of the two asymmetrical human figures grasps the narrow cylinder of the staff, one near the top, the other near the bottom. Ethnographic information with this group of related staffs describes them being carried by shamans “while dancing around the sick… exorcising the evil spirit that has entered [the patient] and… contending with the hostile spirits of the surrounding air”. The otherworldly appearance of the rounded head, horned spirit figure on their staff makes a distinct connection with this type of shamanic tradition. (letter, Steve Brown July, 2005) Provenance:ex Herman Krupp Collection (d. 1989), Seattle, Washington Herman Krupp was the president of the Oceanic Trading Co., a Seattle-based, import-export firm that evolved from the Alaska Fur Co. in the 1930's. It is likely that he inherited the staff from his father, Meyer Krupp, a turn-of-the-century, trading pioneer who founded the Alaska Fur Co. Estate of Lillian Dunn Miller, Hollywood, California David Cook Fine American Art