Mission, Yukon River, Lower, Alaska, United States, North America
Accession Date:
9 Feb 1882
Notes:
FROM CARD: "ILLUS. IN BAE 18TH AR, PT. 1; PL.LXXXVI-12; P. 270. WOODEN; INSET WITH WHITE GLASS BEADS AND IVORY DISCS. ILLUS. IN THE FAR NORTH CATALOG, NAT. GALL. OF ART, 1973, P. 85. 1/83 SITES INUA LOAN. LOANED TO THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART, OCT. 20, 1972. RETURNED 5-29-73. LOANED TO THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO 6/22/77. RETURNED 12/1/77. COLOR NEGS.: 85-18778 OVERVIEW; 85-18779 LEFT OBLIQUE; 85-18780 LEFT PROFILE. LOAN: U.S.I.A. INUA JUN 24 1988. ILLUS.: INUA CATALOGUE. USIA 1988, PL.2, P.4. [identified there as two playful animals, possibly seals or sea otters.] LOAN RETURNED DEC 28 1990."
This object is on loan to the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, from 2010 through 2027.
Source of the information below: Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center Alaska Native Collections: Sharing Knowledge website, by Aron Crowell, entry on this artifact https://alaska.si.edu/record.asp?id=582 , retrieved 11-21-2021; see web page for additional information: Snuff box, Yup'ik. Small boxes for storing chewing tobacco or snuff mixed with ash provide some of the finest examples of traditional Yup'ik carving. Paul John said, "Back in those days, people really cherished tobacco. They finely crafted their tobacco boxes." This box depicts a seal on its back with a smaller seal on top, to form the cover. The surface is decorated with white beads and small ivory pegs, and the seals have collars made of bird quill.
