1964 Raven Oil Bowl

1964 Raven Oil Bowl

Approximately 11 1/2" x 8"

This raven oil bowl is cast from an original Amos Wallace carving and dated 1964. The color is very good and looks like wood.

This reproduction was made by Griffin's Alaska Wholesale; based on an original work by Amos Wallace

OIL BOWL
Often referred to as a "grease bowl",. These wooden personal bowls were produced to hold sea mammal and fish oil which served as a seasoning for staple foods such as dried fish, roots and berries.

FAMOUS AMOS
(Amos Louis Wallace/Jeet Yaaw Dustaa), Tlingit [Hoonah], 1920-2004

Amos L. Wallace (1920-2004) was born in Juneau, Alaska on November 28, 1920. Amos Wallace was a Tlingit Indian of the Raven Moiety, T’akdeintaan Clan of Hoonah and is often recognized as a skilled Tlingit artist. His Tlingit name was Jeet Yaaw Dustaa.

ITS A SMALL WORLD & THE TONIGHT SHOW
As a child Amos and his brother carved together, often they carved totem poles and other items. As he grew up, he continued to master his skills. After his service in the military he continued his carvings.

"In 1958 his artistry attracted national attention. That year he was contracted by a New York City department store, Abraham & Strauss, to carve a totem pole in New York, the pole later being placed at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. A few months later Wallace was asked to be a guest on the Jack Parr Show (later the Tonight Show) to speak about his art and life. Such publicity at a national level garnished Wallace numerous contracted totem carving projects, such as in 1960 being contracted to carve a totem pole at Disneyland’s Indianland."