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 two small bears on either side of an igloo. Bears are carved in profile, each with a small protruding ear, black inlay eye, and with their fangs bared; black pigment around paws of bears. The igloo has a cutout for the door and a small cylinder protruding from the top centre; incisions for ice blocks filled with black pigment. Base of plaque is a thin rectangle with the owner's name, Susan (suusaa), carved in syllabics across entire length; characters filled with black pigment.

• 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.

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• Type of Item pin
• Culture Inuit
• Material walrus tusk, baleen
• Measurements height 3.6 cm, width 7.2 cm, depth 0.8 cm (overall)

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• Previous Owner Susan Smith
• Received from Susan Smith

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• Made in Iqaluit

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• Creation Date between 1940 and 1952
• Ownership Date before August 2, 2024
• Acquisition Date on August 2, 2024

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• Condition fair
• Accession Number 3668/0003