Argillite Reproductions by Boma
The Haida carvings in argillite are some of the finest presentations of totemic art. These reproductions are well made from original work in Canada, made in a natural resin composite with the heft and finish of the originals. These museum quality reproductions of the older work are available in a range of styles that can be more casually displayed so that the art can be enjoyed on an everyday basis. The reproductions are made by Boma, a Canadian company producing a range of collectibles and giftware.
Several of the reproductions we offer are of original carvings included in the Canadian Museum of History's Haida Gwaii Collection. Haida Gwaii means "Islands of the People" in the Haida language and refers to the Queen Charlotte Islands.
Argillite is a fine-grained, charcoal-black stone found on Haida Gwaii, the group of islands off the coast of British Columbia formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands. The stone used for carving comes from a deposit on Slatechuck Mountain, near the Haida community of Skidegate. Relatively soft and easily worked when quarried, argillite can be carved with exceptionally fine detail and polished to a rich, dark finish.
The Haida have been carving argillite since the early 1800s, when they began making pipes and small carvings for trade with visiting sailors. Over time, these developed into increasingly elaborate figures, boxes, dishes and model poles. Ravens, eagles, bears, killer whales and other figures familiar in Haida art are frequent subjects, often drawn from traditional stories and family crests.
Argillite carving is uniquely associated with the Haida. The principal source of carving-quality stone lies within Haida territory, and access to the quarry has traditionally been controlled by the Haida people. Historic carvings can be found in museum collections throughout the world, while today's Haida artists continue to work in argillite, carrying forward a carving tradition now more than two centuries old.