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1884.101.94

Argillite ship panel pipe with cabin, butterfly and rooster. [CAK 12/02/2010]

On display

1884.101.94

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Collection type
Object
Description
Argillite ship panel pipe with cabin, butterfly and rooster. [CAK 12/02/2010]
Long description
Argillite ship panel pipe with cabin, butterfly and rooster. The figures on this long, flat pipe are arranged horizontally. At one end is a cabin with walls, windows, roof and chimney clearly visible. The bowl of the pipe is carved in the top of the chimney. Resting with its back against one wall of the cabin is a large butterfly with round eyes, mouth curving probiscus and large double wings decorated with cross-hatching. The butterfly has a slender body and its end is depicted tightly curled. The probiscus and wings of the butterfly touch an architectural feature (possibly a bell in a wooden frame). On the other end of the pipe is a rooster with its beak touching the ?bell. The comb is decorated with formline and the tail feathers bend downwards and touch the base of the pipe. The rooster's body and feet are also visible. The base of the pipe has been decorated with geometric designs that co-ordinate with the figures above.[CAK 12/02/2010]
Geographical reference
Canada
Northern America > North America > Canada
British Columbia Vancouver Island Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands)
Cultural groups
Haida
Date / Period
Date made: 1830-1860
Date collected
By 1874
Acquisition information
Donated: 1884
Materials and processes
Material Argillite Stone, Process Carved
Dimensions
Diameter 16 mm, Width 81 mm, Length 215 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 1884.101.94 PR Cat other PR nos: 2123
Research and responses

Originally entered as from Vancouver Island, but probably Queen Charlotte Islands. [LM]

The origins of the argillite would have been Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands) and the carver would have been Haida, however, a number of Haida artists were living and working in Victoria on Vancouver Island during the 19th century. They sold their work through shops in the city, and obtained commissions to make items. It is probable then that the piece was collected on Vancouver Island. [CAK 08/06/2009]

The following information comes from Haida delegates who worked with the museum’s collection in September 2009 as part of the project “Haida Material Culture in British Museums: Generating New Forms of Knowledge” :

This pipe was viewed alongside other argillite pipes and carvings on Tuesday Sept 15, 2009. Christian White confirmed the identity of the butterfly figure. The bird was identified as a rooster. Jaalen Edenshaw noted the influence of ships in the carving of these pipes. (In a similar vein, based on the research of Robin Wright, Cara Krmpotich amended the identification of the house on this pipe to a ship's cabin.) Jaalen further explained that tobacco would be put into the bowl, and then the user would blow through a hole at one end of the pipe. There would be another hold at the other end of the pipe to control the flow of tobacco.

A group discussion about argillite raised the following points. Argillite is only carved on Haida Gwaii. It is a natural resource of the islands, is very brittle and difficult to carve. Black is the most common variety, but rarer red and brown varieties also exist. It requires a skillful hand to carve it successfully. In addition to early trading, argillite served an important purpose during difficult years in Haida communities. Even when not skillfully executed, argillite allowed carvers to record stories and oral histories, like previous generations did in wood before them; they were able to preserve a significant amount of information that might otherwise have been lost. Argillite also provided a medium for Haidas to be satirical about the Europeans they were encountering. [CAK 12/02/2010]

This object was viewed and confirmed as Haida by tribal members Vincent Collison, Lucille Bell, and Kwiiawah Jones on 7 September 2007 in preparation for a planned Haida community visit to PRM in 2009 [L Peers, 24/01/2008]

Search terms: Trade, Figure, Pipe, Tobacco Accessory, Bird Figure, Insect Figure