Soapberry Spoon

Date1875-1900

MediumWood

DimensionsOverall: 18 in. × 2 1/2 in. × 1 in. (45.7 × 6.4 × 2.5 cm)

Credit LineTransferred from the Knox Hall of Natural History, Hamilton College

Object number1984.465a

Not on view

DescriptionDesigned for eating the foam of soapberries whipped into a froth. The top surface of this cedar spoon is decorated with a highly abstracted low relief carving based on the figure of a bird.

Collections

Native American Art

Additional Details

Exhibition History 2007
Clinton, NY (Fred L. Emerson Gallery, Hamilton College). "Highlights from the Permanent Collection," February 19 - April 15, 2007 (no catalog);

2006
Clinton, NY (Fred L. Emerson Gallery, Hamilton College). "Selections from the Permanent Collection," January 16 - December 30, 2006 (no catalog);

2005
Clinton, NY (Fred L. Emerson Gallery, Hamilton College). "Hamilton Collects, A Century of Curiosities: The Story of the Hamilton College Collection," September 29 - December 30, 2005 (unnumbered cat.);

1985
Clinton, NY (Fred L. Emerson Gallery, Hamilton College). "Wonderful Heroes Fearsome Creatures," November 2 - December 14, 1985 (cat. no. 11, illus. 24).

Provenance 1984: Hamilton College (Emerson Gallery), by transfer from the Anthropology Department;
? - 1984: Hamilton College (Anthropology Department), by transfer from the Knox Hall of Natural History;
by 1925: Hamilton College (Knox Hall of Natural History), by gift from an unknown donor (research pending).

Markings White adhesive label on verso: NANW / 49a

Published References WONDERFUL HEROES FEARSOME CREATURES: ART OF THE NORTHWEST COAST exh. cat. (Clinton, NY: Fred L. Emerson Gallery, 1985), 24, illus. 24.