Native American, Northwestern United States, Tlingit, ca. mid-20th century CE. Signed "LAVALLE" on verso. A remarkable bow drill for fire starting, meticulously hand-carved from caramel-hued wood to present a lengthy, curved body adorned on one side with relief zoomorphic and anthropomorphic designs in pigments of crimson, black, and emerald. The elaborate decoration features a human-like visage at the center flanked by 2 inward-facing canine heads and followed by avian motifs. A slender strip of animal sinew connects each end of the bow, serving as the string. The verso is inscribed "KUT DAA JAA GU / LAVALLE 137." Size: 13.8" L x 1.3" W (35.1 cm x 3.3 cm)
Rich LaValle has been a Tlingit wood carver since 2000, though he was not born into the Tlingit culture. He began weaving Pacific Northwest style textiles before beginning his craft as a wood-turner upon moving with his wife to Portland, Oregon, and was approached directly by members of the Tlingit tribe to carve Tlingit masks. Rich and his wife were then formally adopted into the Tlingit tribe in the year 2000. His Tlingit name is "Kut Daa Jaa Gu," and his wife's Tlingit name is "Shawat Googh." Rich is known throughout the Pacific Northwest Coast for his fine craftsmanship of traditional Tlingit face masks, rattles, hat fronts, and textiles.
Provenance: private Brevard, North Carolina, USA collection
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#171055
Condition
Some stretching to string. Light surface wear as shown. Otherwise, intact and excellent with great pigments. Inscribed "KUT DAA JAA GU / LAVALLE 137" on verso.