California Curiosities, Chumash Whale Effigies

California Curiosities, Chumash Whale Effigies
early 20th century

lot of 2, both carved of a dark hardstone and inlaid with shell accents

height 3 inches x length 3-3/8 inches x width 2-1/8 inches AND height 3-1/4 inches x length 3-1/8 inches x width 2-1/4 inches

PUBLISHED:

Native American Heritage. Exhibition Catalogue, The Art Institute of Chicago (1977: pg 271, catalogue #383).

These pipes, commonly identified as Chumash, have been published in a Heye Foundation manuscript by E.K. Burnett entitled, "Inlaid Stone and Bone Artifacts from Southern California" (Contributions from the Museum of the American Indian Heye Foundation, Vol. XIII, 1944). There have been questions and controversy as to the authenticity of this type of artifact, with the belief that the entire manuscript by E.K. Burnett was fabricated to create a market for these objects.

[http://themalibupost.blogspot.com/2013/11/to-point.html. Accessed August 23, 2017; King, Chester: Evolution of Chumash Society (1990:122)].
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
Property from a Private Collection, Chicago, Illinois