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Exhibition History"History on Birchbark: The Art of Tomah Joseph, Passamaquoddy," Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology, Brown University. Providence, RI, January 1, 1003 - December 31, 1993.
"Treasures from the Thaw Collection," Wheelwright Museum of American Indian Art. Santa Fe, NM, May 1, 2000 - December 31, 2000.
"American Indian Art from the Fenimore Art Museum: The Thaw Collection," Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, Utica, NY, October 13, 2018 - December 31, 2018.
ProvenancePrivate collection, Arlington, Massachusetts; Skinner's, Bolton, Massachusetts
BibliographySkinner's. Sale 1487, January 9, 1993, Lot 341.
Time-Life Books. Algonquians of the East Coast. Alexandria, Virginia: Time-Life Books, 1995, p.61(no fig.number); picture credit p.171.
Vincent, Gilbert T. Masterpieces of American Indian Art. New York: Harry Abrams, 1995, p.26-27.
Time-Life Books. The Way of the Spirit. Hong Kong: Time Warner, 1997, pp.14, 15.
Vincent, Gilbert et al. Art of the North American Indians: The Thaw Collection. Cooperstown, New York: Fenimore Art Museum, 2000, pp. 94-95.
Fognell, Eva and Alexander Brier Marr, eds. Art of the North American Indians: The Thaw Collection at the Fenimore Art Museum, 2nd ed. Cooperstown, New York: Fenimore Art Museum, 2016, p. 103.
Artist
Tomah Joseph
(1837 - 1914, Passamaquoddy)
Canoe Model
Datec. 1905
DimensionsOverall: 8 1/4 × 10 1/2 × 50 1/2 in. (21 × 26.7 × 128.3 cm)
Object numberT0043
Credit LineGift of Eugene V. and Clare E. Thaw
Photograph by John Bigelow Taylor, NYC
Label TextBirch bark containers and canoe models were made with the soft dark brown coating of the inside of the bark forming the outer surface of the objects to allow for sgraffito decoration. Designs were created by scraping away the dark layer to expose the lighter surface. Tomah Joseph was one of the most active of the Passamaquoddy Indian producers of birch bark objects. (cf. Adney and Chapelle 1964, pp. 86-87, figs. 77-79). This example is the highwater mark of his development as a model canoe maker. He was also the builder of one of the last ocean-going canoes of his people. In addition to various images, he incised his name and several Native texts on this canoe. "Kolele mooke" means "good luck", and "Mikwid hamin" translates as "remember me." (Lester 1993, p.19, fig.39; Skinner's 1993, lot 34; Time-Life Books 1995, p.61; Vincent 1995a, pp.26-27). The picture of a pipe-smoking rabbit may be Joseph's personal mark, as it also shows up on other objects made by him. There were three dolls in this canoe when it sold in 1933, but they seem unrelated to the work of Tomah Joseph and are too small for proper scale with the canoe. (From the Catalog of the Thaw Collection of American Indian Art, 2nd ed.)Exhibition History"History on Birchbark: The Art of Tomah Joseph, Passamaquoddy," Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology, Brown University. Providence, RI, January 1, 1003 - December 31, 1993.
"Treasures from the Thaw Collection," Wheelwright Museum of American Indian Art. Santa Fe, NM, May 1, 2000 - December 31, 2000.
"American Indian Art from the Fenimore Art Museum: The Thaw Collection," Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, Utica, NY, October 13, 2018 - December 31, 2018.
ProvenancePrivate collection, Arlington, Massachusetts; Skinner's, Bolton, Massachusetts
BibliographySkinner's. Sale 1487, January 9, 1993, Lot 341.
Time-Life Books. Algonquians of the East Coast. Alexandria, Virginia: Time-Life Books, 1995, p.61(no fig.number); picture credit p.171.
Vincent, Gilbert T. Masterpieces of American Indian Art. New York: Harry Abrams, 1995, p.26-27.
Time-Life Books. The Way of the Spirit. Hong Kong: Time Warner, 1997, pp.14, 15.
Vincent, Gilbert et al. Art of the North American Indians: The Thaw Collection. Cooperstown, New York: Fenimore Art Museum, 2000, pp. 94-95.
Fognell, Eva and Alexander Brier Marr, eds. Art of the North American Indians: The Thaw Collection at the Fenimore Art Museum, 2nd ed. Cooperstown, New York: Fenimore Art Museum, 2016, p. 103.
On View
On view1450-1550
