Hat Pin
MOA: University of British Columbia
3668/5
Hat pin made up of a decorative front plaque, with two rounded ridges on the back; holes drilled into the ridges, for a pin to be secured through. Plaque depicts a bear, on all fours, with a seal in its mouth. Both are done in profile with black inlay eyes; bear has a small protruding ear, seal has a fin. Seal's face is in bear's mouth, with body turned away, and back curved outward. Base of plaque is a thin rectangle with the owner's name, Audrey (atuuri), carved in syllabics across entire length; characters filled with black pigment.
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Narrative
Collected by the donor's father, Douglas B. Ritcey, who was a radio operator stationed in Iqualuit, from the 1940s to 1952. Each of the four hat pins (3668/2-5) has the name of one of the family members on it in syllabics.
- Type of Item pin
- Culture Inuit
- Material walrus tusk, baleen, pigment
- Measurements height 3.6 cm, width 7.0 cm, depth 0.9 cm (overall)
- Previous Owner Susan Smith
- Received from Susan Smith
- Made in Iqaluit
- Creation Date between 1940 and 1952
- Ownership Date before August 2, 2024
- Acquisition Date on August 2, 2024
- Condition good
- Accession Number 3668/0005