Harry Smith donated artifacts at the Whatcom Museum in the 1940s now on display
When I delivered Sounding for Harry Smith to the Whatcom Museum, I noticed many artifacts donated by Harry are displayed in People of the Sea and Cedar. Among the exhibited artifacts collected by Harry are a hand adz for woodworking of carved wood in duck shape, a canoe bailer made of cedar bark, a wooden cod lure, a cylindrical net weight, a clam basket and a Salish canoe paddle.
I asked Jeff Jewell (the photo archivist and historian at the Whatcom Museum) about this and he wrote: “I took a gander at what was donated by Harry Smith. You’re right, the Accession number is 1949.47 – items received on October 14, 1949. Harry’s address at the time was 1636 Buchanan Street, San Francisco, CA. There are 50 artifacts. Necklace, bailer, weaving batten, spindle, beater, needles, loom, various “sample material” (cedar bark, cedar roots, beach grass, cattail piece), baskets, a hook, an adze, a bow...”
This donation occurred shortly before Mary Louise Smith’s death on October 23, 1949, on Harry’s last trip to Bellingham. Here is a list of the Harry Smith donated artifacts from exhibit cards in People of the Sea and Cedar exhibit (and I’ve attached a few photos):
1949.0047.000025 ab
Hand adz, D—shaped used for woodworking. Made of carved wood in duck shape with an eagle incised one side. Bone blade fastened by string and cherry bark wrapping. Attributed to the Duwamish.
1949.0047.000022
Canoe bailer made of cedar bark molded and wrapped with wooden handle. Attributed to Lummi.
1949.0047.000023
Wooden cod lure with three long thin pieces of paddle—shaped wood tied around a cone—shaped core of wood inserted into a bell—shaped base. This type of lure was used along the central Northwest Coast for cod fishing from a boat. Attributed to Lummi.
1949.0047.000024
Clam basket with handle made of willow with twined bands about an inch apart. Would have been used to collect shellfish or other items requiring water to drain during collecting.
1949.47.8-10
Cattail mat sewing needles
1949.47.4
Batten or wool beater
1949.47.7
Cedar bark shredder
1949.47.32
Horsetail, used in basket weaving (long black pieces)
1949.47.13 (may be 1949.74.13)
Shredded inner cedar bark
1949.47.34
Cedar splints, used for basket starts
1949.47.27
Cylindrical net weight
1949.47.47
Line reel
1949.47.31
Mesh spacer
1949.47.38
Root digger
1949.47.41
Clam roasting stick
1949.47.28
Salish canoe paddle