Haida Beaver Pole

Description

‘Haida Beaver Pole’ by William Ronald Reid Jr. OBC RCA – First Nations Northwest Coast Haida Art presented by DaVic Gallery of Native Canadian Arts.

Condition:    The print is in Very Good condition. Three microscopic iron deposits are visible along the lower right margin, a natural characteristic occasionally found in high-quality handmade papers of this period. Starch-based mounting hinges remain adhered to the verso of the sheet.

Description by Artist:     “The Beaver is more than a crest; he is the industrious builder of the Haida world. In this 1997 Intaglio, Reid returns to the vertical strength of the Tanu poles that first called him to his heritage, rendering the ‘prodigious renewable wealth’ of the Beaver with the permanence of deep-etched ink.”

Notes from DaVic Gallery:

‘Haida Beaver Pole’ is a profound masterwork by William Ronald Reid Jr. OBC RCA —the iconic figure of the Northwest Coast artistic renaissance. Presented by DaVic Gallery of Native Canadian Arts, this 1997 release carries immense historical weight, produced in the final full year of the artist’s life.

The Legend of Ttsaang (Haida Beaver)

In Haida mythology, the Beaver (Ttsaang) is a symbol of prodigious wealth, persistence, and industriousness. A central figure in the Raven stories, the Beaver is often depicted with his hallmark incisors and a cross-hatched, scaly tail. In this composition, Reid captures the vertical strength of a totem pole, transforming the legendary builder into a soaring pillar of Haida lineage and cultural resilience.

Technical Mastery: The Intaglio Process

This is not a standard print. It was created using the Intaglio method, a labor-intensive technique where the image is incised into a copper plate.

• • The Process: Acid is used to etch the design, which is then hand-filled with ink. Under massive pressure, handmade paper is forced into the grooves to pull the ink out.
  • The Result: This creates a tactile, three-dimensional “raised” ink quality and a velvet-like depth to the blacks that cannot be replicated by modern digital or screen printing.
  • Authentication: This piece features the embossed Wolf hallmark (lower left), the New Leaf printer’s chop mark (lower right), and is hand-signed and numbered 10/45 by Bill Reid.

Collector’s Note: As an edition of only 45, and dating to the sunset of Reid’s career (the same era as his “Jade Canoe” masterpiece), this work is a cornerstone acquisition for any serious collector of Canadian Indigenous art.