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Whistle with Carved Design of Long-beaked Water Bird

Arts of the Americas

MEDIUM Wood, birchbark, sinew, pigment, brass
  • Possible Place Collected: Fort Snelling, Minnesota, United States
  • DATES early 19th century
    DIMENSIONS 36 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 7/8 in. (92.7 x 6.4 x 2.2 cm)  (show scale)
    COLLECTIONS Arts of the Americas
    ACCESSION NUMBER 50.67.91
    CREDIT LINE Henry L. Batterman Fund and the Frank Sherman Benson Fund
    PROVENANCE Prior to 1848, provenance not yet documented; by 1848, acquired by Nathan Sturges Jarvis; 1848, gift of Nathan Sturges Jarvis to the New-York Historical Society, New York, NY; 1937, loaned by the New-York Historical Society to the Brooklyn Museum; 1950, purchased from the New-York Historical Society by the Brooklyn Museum.
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    CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Long, thin whistle with only one hole in the beak of a bird with metal tacks for eyes. The bird's head is carved at the end and painted blue-green on the outside and red on the inside. The nostril slits are also painted red. The stop is a piece of birch bark held in place with a sinew wrapping. Jarvis (the collector) original inscription reads, "Indian Flute Chippeway."
    MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
    CAPTION Chippewa (Anishinaabe). Whistle with Carved Design of Long-beaked Water Bird, early 19th century. Wood, birchbark, sinew, pigment, brass, 36 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 7/8 in. (92.7 x 6.4 x 2.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Henry L. Batterman Fund and the Frank Sherman Benson Fund, 50.67.91. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 50.67.91_view1_PS9.jpg)
    IMAGE overall, 50.67.91_view1_PS9.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2014
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    RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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