This Clam Shell Box is a small reproduction of a large argillite box or casket in the Canadian Museum of History's Haida Gwaii collection. Ornately carved cedar boxes were common amongst the tribes of the Pacific Northwest, and were made also for the scrimshaw trade. Some of the finest were done in argillite. The original rather large argillite box was first ascribed to Charles Edenshaw by Marius Barbeau, but later research indicates that it was made by John Robson, the stepfather of Edenshaw. The lid shows the people coming out of the clam shell, flanked on both sides by a frog and bear. The front shows a bear, the rear the mosquito crest. The ends show the beaver. The size of the Small Clam Shell Box is 7½ x 4½ x 5 inches, suitable for desk use. Color is argillite black. This museum quality reproduction is made from a natural resin composite to attain the heft of the argillite original. Made in Canada.
