Spoon
Unknown Artist
late 1800s–early 1900s
Medium
horn, copper
Dimensions
h. 10 cm, d. 9.7 cm, l. 22.5 cm
Classification
Sculpture
Department
Art of the Americas
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Lyman H. Treadway
Accession Number
1924.175
About this artwork
Elaborate utensils, valuable possessions of Northwest Coast noble clans, were used during potlatch feasts. This spoon’s handle features the heads of a wolf and a raven along with a beaver’s tail. All 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.