Lot Essay
The entry dated 11.6.31 in Beasley's catalogue reads: First portion of the Verney Collection. Bought from Sir Harry Verney, Bart, Steeple Claydon, Bucks. Collected by Capt Edmund Hope Verney, H.M.S. Grappler. [substituted for Growler] In the Pacific 1864
N.W.Coast Haida:- A good rattle carved as a raven, with figure subjects, and coloured red, blue and black
Lieutenant-Commander Edmund Hope Verney was in command of HMGB Grappler on the Northwest Coast from 1862 until 1865. He later commanded HMGB Growler in the Mediterranean 1870-1873, which was the name given to the Beasleys by the Verneys when they sold in 1931 some of the artefacts that had been collected by Edmund Verney, an error that has been often repeated
The rattle was probably acquired by Edmund Verney in October 1863 on a visit to Metlahkatlah with his friend, the Rev. Robert James Dundas (1832-1904), who had previously asked the missionary, Mr. Duncan, to make a collection for him of the curiosities which had been presented to him by the paramount chiefs he had taken with him from Fort Simpson on their conversion to Christianity. In his journal entry for Monday, 26 October 1863, Dundas wrote: We [Verney and I] spent the morning examining some Indian curiosities, Mr.D. had collected for us. I wished if possible to obtain some of the Medicine Men's implements and tools....
The Beasleys attributed all the artefacts from the Verney collection to the Haida, but they are much more likely to be from the Tsimshian.
N.W.Coast Haida:- A good rattle carved as a raven, with figure subjects, and coloured red, blue and black
Lieutenant-Commander Edmund Hope Verney was in command of HMGB Grappler on the Northwest Coast from 1862 until 1865. He later commanded HMGB Growler in the Mediterranean 1870-1873, which was the name given to the Beasleys by the Verneys when they sold in 1931 some of the artefacts that had been collected by Edmund Verney, an error that has been often repeated
The rattle was probably acquired by Edmund Verney in October 1863 on a visit to Metlahkatlah with his friend, the Rev. Robert James Dundas (1832-1904), who had previously asked the missionary, Mr. Duncan, to make a collection for him of the curiosities which had been presented to him by the paramount chiefs he had taken with him from Fort Simpson on their conversion to Christianity. In his journal entry for Monday, 26 October 1863, Dundas wrote: We [Verney and I] spent the morning examining some Indian curiosities, Mr.D. had collected for us. I wished if possible to obtain some of the Medicine Men's implements and tools....
The Beasleys attributed all the artefacts from the Verney collection to the Haida, but they are much more likely to be from the Tsimshian.