Tlingit or Haida Paddle 19th century Northwest Coast Start Price USD 150.00 Current Price USD 1,500.00 Time Left - Bid Count 16 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Sunday, July 20, 2008 End Time Wednesday, July 30, 2008 Location CA See more about 'Tlingit or Haida Paddle 19th century Northwest Coast' Description  A superb Northwest Coast potlatch dance paddle representing a canoe steering board with excellent graphic carving in relief and in the round. It is Tlingit I believe, South East Alaska, other nations possible are the Tsimshian, Haida, Kwakiutl, or Coast Salish who range down to Vancouver  Seattle area. It is of very light cedarwood (I think yellow cedar) which is in a mellowed oxidized dry state of patination, generally uniform barring the damages. This piece has immense appeal from the anthropomorphic hand finial pointing the way, Really Excellent, to the muddled spirit of a Beaver or Turtle (?) carved on one side.  Two eyes, two nostrils and a square toothed grin through the damaged area. This piece is Nineteenth century and may possibly be quite early nineteenth century or even 18thc. It is reminiscent of very early bentwood boxes. Also, considering the condition it may have been a "found" piece from an abandoned settlement, which was a tragically common occurance in the late nineteenth century for the North West Native American populace.  The piece came out of a California estate near Stanford University with many Nineteenth century objects. There are obvious condition issues, and I think this is a piece for the advanced collector who will appreciate its quality barring the issues. I will point to condition as best I can. First the piece has surface insect damage as can be seen (NOT like European wood beetle with tiny pinholes). This gives the carving on the surface a very striking ghostlike apparition quality which in some ways accentuates the piece overall. There is a very small through knothole that was lost above one eye on the face, a hairline split from shrinkage to the handle sturdily in tact, and a split damage to the index finger but mostly there. Please review the photos carefully. Length is 32.5 Inches / 84cm.  Buyer pays $18 domestic U.S., International pays actual cost. CA buyers pay CA sales tax. I pack to the piece's specs. Please see my other auctions for early Native American Indian and Ethnographic. Any questions please ask before bidding, sold as is. Please NOTE: I decided to repost this due to the success of my other North East Native American Mocassins auction, Thank you for your previous interest. Also, I do not reveal Reserve Prices or offer Buy it now. Place a Bid!