Lot 33, Auction 4/20/2026: Native American Bison Scapula & Cedar Potlatch Spoon

$227.50

In stock

Native American, Western United States / Pacific Northwest Coast, ca. Plains & Tlingit / Haida cultures, ca. 19th century CE. This grouping includes a bison scapula scraper and a large cedarwood spoon, each representing practical tools used in daily and communal life. The bison scapula scraper, reportedly collected in South Dakota and likely made by Lakota or Dakota Sioux peoples, displays a pronounced polish across the surface consistent with repeated use, possibly for hide processing, contact with fat and grease, or for soil work as a digging or cultivating implement. A deliberately bored hole through the center corresponds with other documented examples, including one in the Illinois State Museum, and is generally interpreted as a feature for hafting the blade to a wooden handle. The cedarwood spoon is a large serving form, carved for use in communal meals such as potlatches and other feasts. Size of bone: 15″ L x 5.25″ W (38.1 cm x 13.3 cm)

Condition: Losses to the bone as shown, with stable striations and fissures throughout. Smooth patina to the blade area. Spoon is repaired with handle reattached to the bowl with visible breakline. Old inventory numbers written on the surface.

Provenance: private Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA collection

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