Lot 578
Athabascan Bent Spruce Dog Sled, late 19th/early 20th century
Additional Images
Provenance:
First People's Museum of the American Indian and Eskimo, Allen, MI;
Cowan's Auctions, Cincinnati OH, Sept 19, 2004;
Private Collection, Toronto, ON
Note:
An essential vehicle for the transportation of food and others goods in harsh winter conditions, extant examples of historic Northern North American sleds are exceptionally uncommon, making definitive regional attribution difficult.
This surviving sled is likely of Athabascan origin, and appears to be constructed from spruce wood, a material favoured for its resistance to decay, and well documented for its use among Athabascan and neighbouring Alutiiq peoples.
Formerly in the collection of the First People's Museum of the American Indian and Eskimo, Allen, Michigan.