An Inuit bow Pacific

An Inuit bow

Pacific, Alaska

cedar, with a channeled ridge to the flat side and with intricately woven sinew to the back, early 19th century,

136.6cm long.

Provenance

Collected by British artist Frederick Whymper (1838-1901) who arrived in Victoria from England in 1862 to set about on a sketching tour of northern British Columbia. In 1863 he joined as an artist the Vancouver Island Exploring Expedition and in November 1864 an exhibition of 33 of his drawings was held in Victoria. In 1865 Whymper joined as an artist the Russian-American Telegraph project, which intended to construct a telegraph line linking the United States and Europe through British Columbia, Alaska and Siberia. In 1867 the project was abandoned and Whymper returned to England and published his narrative, Travel and Adventure in the Territory of Alaska.

A private collection, Canada.

cf. William Fitzhugh and Susan Kaplan. Inua: Spirit World of the Bering Sea Eskimo, 1982, p.104, no.98, 'sinew-backed bows are among the finest native weapons produced in North America.'