1940\'S-50\'S IDA WILLIAMS FAMILY TOTEM POLE CARVING - VANCOUVER ISLAND BC 13\" For Sale

WILLIAMS FAMILY CARVING - SIGNED IDA WILLAIMSIDA WAS WIFE OF SAM WILLIAMS
1940\'S - 1950\'S
BRIGHT PAINTYPICAL VINTAGE SCUFFS
BEAUTIFUL CARVED CEDAR TOTEM POLE12 5/8\" X 12\"Nuu-chah-nulth artisan Sam Williams was born about 1880 on Vancouver Island part of the Ditidaht Nation of British Columbia, Canada. He moved his family to the Duwamish River flats south of Seattle around the turn of the 20th century. Sam began selling his carvings to JE Standley of Seattle’s Ye Olde Curiosity Shop and a lifelong relationship developed between the curio shop proprietor and the Williams family.
Sam carved in a style that was all his own. Though he was influenced by the traditional totem poles he saw around him in early life, once he landed in Seattle his carving took on a bold, personal cast that made his work like no other. His wife Nellie did most of the painting, brushing on bright-colored enamels that complemented the strong shapes of her husband’s sculptures and helped preserve them from the elements.
Sam did create miniature totem poles of the kind that is favored by his descendants today, but he preferred large ones. He based the size of his work on the salvage logs that washed up on the tidal flats from the many floating log booms created by the Seattle area timber industry.
OWED BY CURRENT OWNERS FAMILY FOR 45+ YEARSPLEASE EMAIL ANY QUESTIONSWILL PACK WITH GREAT CARE