Large Northwest Coast Nuu-chah-nulth Raven Flood Totem Williams Family c.1940/50

Description

Offered for your consideration is a sturdy Nuu-chah-nulth (formerly Nootka) Ditidaht totem pole depicting the Tlingit “Raven Flood” totem pole (also known as the Raven and Sun totem) of Ketchikan, Alaska, ca. 1940/ 1950s. The pole is carved in red cedar and measures a respectable 13.25” tall, 8.5” wide across the wings, and sits on a base that measures 3.25” square. Depicted from the top are anthropomorphic Raven with the Sun (shown as a halo), three children (sometimes described as Raven’s children), a human face representing a woman, diving Raven, and frog. Models often truncate or reduce the figures shown on the full-sized poles, but this totem mirrors the monumental pole in its entirety, creating a particularly complex and visually striking carving.
This older pole is well-carved in the distinctive Williams family style and is either the work of Wilson Williams (ca. 1908-1965) or his brother, Raymond Williams (c. 1933-1988). The Williams family are known for creating models of iconic northern totem poles in their family’s flamboyant style. The Raven Flood pole is a rare subject matter for the Williams, and this is an especially nice example. This totem was probably carved for the Ye Olde Curiosity Shop in Seattle and features a “Genuine Indian Made” stamp on the back. The pole was purchased by the current owner from the Mt. Juneau Trading Post in Juneau, Alaska.
The original “Raven Flood” or “Raven and Sun” totem pole was carved in 1902 on Pennock Island, Alaska, across from Ketchikan as a mortuary pole. In the 1930s it was relocated to Ketchikan and reproduced by the Haida master carver John Wallace for the Civilian Conservation Corps totem parks project. A version of this pole still stands at the totem park in Saxman, Alaska, and has also been reproduced by Tlingit master carver Israel Shotridge for the city of Ketchikan. Anthropologist Viola Garfield wrote about this pole and the process of reproducing it in her book The Wolf and the Raven (1941).
Don’t miss your opportunity to add this excellent carving to your collection! Please see photos for details on the condition of this pole and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have further questions. Also, please check my other auctions as I will be listing several other model poles from the Tsimshian, Tlingit, and Nuu-chah-nulth this week.