ARGILLITE is a shale stone known as ‘Kwawhlahl’ among the Haida people, and they began carving it in response to the early curio trade of the 1820s on the Haida Gwaii Islands. Today, Argillite continues to protected and carved exclusively by the Haida, and is considered one of the most highly collectible artforms on the Pacific Northwest Coast.
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Gunarh & His Wife Model Pole
Greg White Lightbown
$4,600.00 CADArgillite
According to the oral traditions of the Northwest Coast, there was once a man named Gunarh whose beautiful wife was kidnapped by a Killerwhale. He took her to the underwater village of the powerful Killerwhale People, and planned to wed her as soon as he could create a dorsal fin and attach it to her back. However, Gunarh was determined to rescue his beloved. He undertook a series of perilous tasks, going so far as to ride on the back of a mighty Killerwhale to reach the village in the depths of the sea. There, Gunarh successfully extracted his wife from the Chief Killerwhale’s longhouse, rescuing his love and returning with her to their own earthly village.
This is a common myth amongst the Haida people but there are many versions of this legend base on the Nation which is telling the story. In some versions, Gunarh is instead called Nanasimget.
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Shaman Sculpture
Gryn White
$8,600.00 CADArgillite, Catlinite, Abalone shell
Shamans, or Medicine Men & Women, were typically a chief of the village or a person of high-ranking stature who followed the directions given by their spirit helper.
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Raven with Light Sculpture
Christian White
Price upon requestArgillite, Catlinite, Mother of Pearl, Abalone shell -
Raven Chief Spoon
Darrell White
Price upon requestArgillite, Catlinite, Abalone shell, Mastodon Ivory, 14k Yellow Gold, Sterling silverYew wood base
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Wasgo Pendant
Gryn White
$180.00 CADArgillite, Catlinite, Abalone shell
Revered as a great hunter, the Sea Wolf (Wasgo) was often associated with a special spirit power that man had to acquire to become a successful hunter. Four features that the Sea Wolf can be identified by are an elongated snout with flared nostrils, several large teeth (which may include canines), prominent ears, and a curled-over tail. Crucially, the mythical Sea Wolf is often indicated by the addition of fins or flippers to traditional wolf imagery. This creature is known to many nations, and is called Wasgo in Haida legend.
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Bear Bowl
Gryn White
$725.00 CADArgillite
The powerful, human-like Bear was referred to as ‘Elder Kinsmen’ and treated as a high-ranking guest when killed. As a close relation to mankind, Bear is considered to be the link between the human and non-human realms as well linking the secular natural with the supernatural or the divine. The Bear symbolizes courage, strength, authority and learned humility.
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Blue Heron & Killerwhale Model Pole
Gryn White
$1,100.00 CADArgillite
The Great Blue Heron is a year-round inhabitant of the Northwest Coast. It symbolizes grace and patience, and is known for its easy-going nature. Traditionally, it was valued both as a winter food and as an alarm-raiser: a Heron cries out a loud warning at the approach of a human.
The Killerwhale is a powerful underwater hunter and considered the sea manifestation of the land Wolf. It’s commonly known to mate and guard its family for a lifetime. Thus, a whale sighted near the shore, was believed to be a transformed human trying to communicate with his family. Killerwhales are associated with family, power, strength, dignity and communication.
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Gunarh Riding Killerwhale Sculpture
Christian White
$6,800.00 CADArgillite, Catlinite, Mother of Pearl, Abalone shell
According to the oral traditions of the Northwest Coast, there was once a man named Gunarh whose beautiful wife was kidnapped by a Killerwhale. He took her to the underwater village of the powerful Killerwhale People, and planned to wed her as soon as he could create a dorsal fin and attach it to her back. However, Gunarh was determined to rescue his beloved. He undertook a series of perilous tasks, going so far as to ride on the back of a mighty Killerwhale to reach the village in the depths of the sea. There, Gunarh successfully extracted his wife from the Chief Killerwhale’s longhouse, rescuing his love and returning with her to their own earthly village.
This is a common myth amongst the Haida people but there are many versions of this legend base on the Nation which is telling the story. In some versions, Gunarh is instead called Nanasimget.
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Eagle Amulet
Christian White
$3,100.00 CADArgillite, Mother of Pearl, Abalone shell, Mastodon Ivory
The intelligent Eagle symbolizes status, power, peace and friendship. Eagle feathers are considered a sacred part of many ceremonies and rituals. The Eagle is known to mate with one partner for a lifetime.
In Haida legend, the Eagle and Raven are close companions and serve as alter egos.
For more details on shipping Ivory outside of Canada, please click here and then click open the Shipping section and scroll down to read more on Shipping Restrictions.
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Xuuts’ (Bear) Amulet
Christian White
$3,900.00 CADArgillite, Catlinite, Mother of Pearl, Abalone shell, Mastodon Ivory
The powerful, human-like Bear was referred to as ‘Elder Kinsmen’ and treated as a high-ranking guest when killed. As a close relation to mankind, Bear is considered to be the link between the human and non-human realms as well linking the secular natural with the supernatural or the divine. The Bear symbolizes courage, strength, authority and learned humility.
For more details on shipping Ivory outside of Canada, please click here and then click open the Shipping section and scroll down to read more on Shipping Restrictions.
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Raven with Light Feast Bowl
Lionel Samuels
$12,600.00 CADArgillite, Abalone shell
Lionel Samuels’ Raven with Light Feast Bowl is a stunning example of his workmanship in argillite. He created the feast bowl in the form of a Raven, embellished with inlays of abalone shell. Lionel takes the Raven, revered as the hero, creator, trickster and transformer, as his family crest symbol. This feast bowl is a beautiful tribute to the important crest figure.
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Killerwhale Pendant
Gryn White
$180.00 CADArgillite, Catlinite, Abalone shell
The Killerwhale is a powerful underwater hunter and considered the sea manifestation of the land Wolf. It’s commonly known to mate and guard its family for a lifetime. Thus, a whale sighted near the shore, was believed to be a transformed human trying to communicate with his family.
The Killerwhale is an important crest symbol, associated with family, power, strength, dignity and communication.
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Killerwhale Pendant
Gryn White
$180.00 CADArgillite, Catlinite, Abalone shell
The Killerwhale is a powerful underwater hunter and considered the sea manifestation of the land Wolf. It’s commonly known to mate and guard its family for a lifetime. Thus, a whale sighted near the shore, was believed to be a transformed human trying to communicate with his family.
The Killerwhale is an important crest symbol, associated with family, power, strength, dignity and communication.
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Story of Nanasimgit Amulet
Darrell White
$5,200.00 CADArgillite, Catlinite, Abalone shell, Mother of Pearl, Sterling silver
Sterling silver Omero chain available separately.According to the oral traditions of the Northwest Coast, there was once a man named Nanasimget whose beautiful wife was kidnapped by a Killerwhale. He took her to the underwater village of the powerful Killerwhale People, and planned to wed her as soon as he could create a dorsal fin and attach it to her back. However, Nanasimget was determined to rescue his beloved. He undertook a series of perilous tasks, going so far as to ride on the back of a mighty Killerwhale to reach the village in the depths of the sea. There, Nanasimget successfully extracted his wife from the Chief Killerwhale’s longhouse, rescuing his love and returning with her to their own earthly village.
This is a common myth amongst the Haida people but there are many versions of this legend base on the Nation which is telling the story. In some versions, Nanasimget is instead called Gunarh.
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Raven with Human Amulet
Darrell White
$4,700.00 CADArgillite, Catlinite, Abalone shell, Sterling silver
Sterling silver Omero chain available separately.Full of magical, supernatural power, Raven could turn himself into anything at any time. His legendary antics were often motivated by insatiable greed, and he loved to tease, cheat, woo and trick. In legends, the Raven is credited for releasing the Sun, Creating the Moon, Stars and the Universe and, according to the Haida Nation, discovering Humans in a Clamshell.
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Eagle, Bear, & Human Model Pole
Gryn White
$1,700.00 CADArgillite
Argillite is grey colour and a relatively soft stone to carve which hardens over time as it begins to oxidize once removed from the mine. As it is relatively a limited resource, it is difficult to obtain large pieces from the quarry. Apart from small totem poles like this, the kinds of objects carved from Argillite include plates with carved and incised designs, pendants, pipes, small boxes, and sculptured figures.
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Frog Bowl
Greg White Lightbown
$1,650.00 CADArgillite
The Frog symbolizes luck, prosperity, stability and healing. As a communicator, Frogs connect with the world on land and under water. This figure is often carved into totem poles to prevent them from falling over.
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Dorsal Fin Pendant
Amy Edgars
$75.00 CADArgillite
This pendant depicts the dorsal fin of a Killerwhale. In Northwest Coast oral tradition, the Killerwhale is a powerful underwater hunter. It is also considered to be the sea manifestation of the land Wolf. Killerwhales are commonly known to mate and guard their family for a lifetime. As a crest symbol, the Killerwhale is associated with family, power, strength, dignity and communication.
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Feather Earrings
Amy Edgars
$120.00 CADArgillite, Abalone
The Eagle feather symbolizes honor and gives strength to those who wear or hold one. It also gives one the ability to speak from the heart. The middle vein that runs down the feather represents the path that every human walks in their lifetime.
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3. Eagle, Killerwhale, Bear & Frog Model Pole
Christian White
Price upon requestArgillite, Catlinite, Abalone shell
Argillite is grey colour and a relatively soft stone to carve which hardens over time as it begins to oxidize once removed from the mine. As it is relatively a limited resource, it is difficult to obtain large pieces from the quarry. Apart from small totem poles like this, the kinds of objects carved from Argillite include plates with carved and incised designs, pendants, pipes, small boxes, and sculptured figures.
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70. Mother & Baby Killerwhale Amulet
Andrew Williams
$1,100.00 CADArgillite, Sterling silver
2.5 x 1.75 x 0.5″
Sterling silver Omero chain available separately.This stunning amulet was featured in the GYUUJUU HLAA: Haida Masterworks III Exhibition in 2017. This exhibition illustrated the great importance of listening amongst the Haida, demonstrating how their artform is an extension of the Potlatch, where communication was an essential element in ceremony and critical to the continuation of their oral cultural heritage.
In the Haida language, Gyuujuu hlaa simply means “listen” and it is meant to invoke everyone’s undivided attention. Through the artists’ creations, they visually express centuries-old legends and mythologies, as well as the places they are connected to, by illustrating stories you can ‘hear’ while reflecting upon the artform.
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69. Story of Nanasimgit Amulet
Andrew Williams
$1,100.00 CADArgillite, Sterling silver
2.5 x 1.5 x 0.5″
Sterling silver Omero chain available separately.According to the oral traditions of the Northwest Coast, there was once a man named Nanasimget whose beautiful wife was kidnapped by a Killerwhale. He took her to the underwater village of the powerful Killerwhale People, and planned to wed her as soon as he could create a dorsal fin and attach it to her back. However, Nanasimget was determined to rescue his beloved. He undertook a series of perilous tasks, going so far as to ride on the back of a mighty Killerwhale to reach the village in the depths of the sea. There, Nanasimget successfully extracted his wife from the Chief Killerwhale’s longhouse, rescuing his love and returning with her to their own earthly village.
This is a common myth amongst the Haida people but there are many versions of this legend base on the Nation which is telling the story. In some versions, Nanasimget is instead called Gunarh.
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68. Beaver Amulet
Andrew Williams
$1,100.00 CADArgillite, Sterling silver
2.5 x 1.75 x 0.5″
Beavers are creative, artistic, determined, and industrious. Well known for their industriousness and building skills, they are a common inhabitant throughout the Northwest Coast region.