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Details
A HAIDA POLYCHROME WOOD CLAPPER
carved of alder wood in two pieces, with black, red, blue, and green pigments, in the form of a killer whale with large ovoid eyes and slit mouth, an unidentified creature on its back, surmounted by tall dorsal fin, each side with a human mask at the base, a round hole above, and remnants of tufting, possibly whale baleen, along the back edge, leather pectoral fins and fluked tail attached with nails and painted with red and white formline designs, the underside carved with unidentified creatures in classic formline style, pegged handle
Length: 15¼ in. (38.8 cm.)
carved of alder wood in two pieces, with black, red, blue, and green pigments, in the form of a killer whale with large ovoid eyes and slit mouth, an unidentified creature on its back, surmounted by tall dorsal fin, each side with a human mask at the base, a round hole above, and remnants of tufting, possibly whale baleen, along the back edge, leather pectoral fins and fluked tail attached with nails and painted with red and white formline designs, the underside carved with unidentified creatures in classic formline style, pegged handle
Length: 15¼ in. (38.8 cm.)
Further details
Clappers are used by chiefly dancers. Rapid shaking of the performer's hand causes the upper half to repeatedly flex open and shut, producing a clacking sound. The upper section is always proportionately larger and is weighted, in this case with a dorsal fin, to facilitate movement. It is carved from two hollowed spatulate pieces of wood, each of which is thinly sectioned at the handle where they are pinned and bound together.
A skilled performer might enliven his presentation by moving his wrist in an undulating fashion, suggesting a killerwhale's diving and surfacing motion. The flexible leather pectoral and tail fins are designed to enhance this action. Stylistically, this rare and handsome clapper is challenging to attribute; it resembles other small carvings produced by the Heiltsuk and Coast Tsimshian in the latter third of the 19th century.
Jay Stewart
Peter MacNair
March 1, 2002
A skilled performer might enliven his presentation by moving his wrist in an undulating fashion, suggesting a killerwhale's diving and surfacing motion. The flexible leather pectoral and tail fins are designed to enhance this action. Stylistically, this rare and handsome clapper is challenging to attribute; it resembles other small carvings produced by the Heiltsuk and Coast Tsimshian in the latter third of the 19th century.
Jay Stewart
Peter MacNair
March 1, 2002