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Napkin Ring

MOA: University of British Columbia

3260/197

Carved silver napkin ring with otter design. Its body extends around the ring, with scroll-work in the background. Fine crosshatching in the negative spaces. Both edges have a border of short, slightly diagonal, lines all the way around.

  • History Of Use

    Metalwork has a long history in copper and iron on the Northwest Coast. Silver and gold American coins—from which the early Haida bracelets were made—were scarce along the Northwest Coast until the 1860s. Ginaawaan would have been one of the first generation of silversmiths, as he was already accomplished by his death in 1876.

  • Specific Techniques

    The artist would have hammered out the silver or gold coins, or first melted them into ingots, and then engraved them.

  • Type of Item ring
  • Culture Kaigani
  • Material silver metal
  • Measurements height 3.6 cm, diameter 4.0 cm (overall)
  • Creator Duncan Ginaawaan
  • Previous Owner Elspeth McConnell
  • Received from Elspeth McConnell
  • Made in Alaska
  • Creation Date between 1860 and 1876
  • Ownership Date before August 12, 2017
  • Acquisition Date on August 12, 2017
  • Item Classes metalwork
  • Condition fair
  • Accession Number 3260/0197

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