An unusual Northwest Coast dagger


Fashioned from a U.S. military model 1849 rifleman's knife with original scabbard, initials "WD and J.W.R." stamped on the crossguard, "Ames Mfg. Co. Cabotville 1849" on the reverse, the pommel carved to depict a stylized dragonfly, a sun face set with a copper frame visible on both sides, a diminutive humanoid head in bold relief at the insect's proboscis and facing the tip of its up-curved abdomen, with abalone inserts and a braided natural fiber grip.length overall 19in
|ProvenanceCollected by Dr. Hugh S. Wyman (1858-1913), thence through the family. Acquired from a descendant by the vendor, part of a collection of Native American artifacts assembled by Dr. Hugh S. Wyman and his brother, Dr. Hal C. Wyman. In 1884, Wyman was serving as Assistant Surgeon aboard the U.S.S. Pinta, stationed in Sitka, along with fellow officer and noted ethnographer George T. Emmons. After resigning his Navy commission in 1885, Wyman remained in Alaska until 1899, residing on Douglas Island and Juneau before moving his practice to Olympia, Washington.In Northwest Coast artistic traditions the iconography of a dragonfly on a weapon of war is unusual, whether actually made for use or as a prestige presentation item. The carving on this dagger is a handsome and fascinating addition to the canons of totemic imagery from those cultures. As for the repurposed knife, one can read a fairly lengthy history of its manufacture and placement on the following website: https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/67/3096/rare-ames-manufacturing-co-model-1849-riflem"Only 1,000 of these knives were purchased by the Ordnance Department from the Ames Manufacturing Co. in 1849 for issue to the U.S. Regiment of Mounted Riflemen. The Model 1849 Rifleman's Knife has the distinction of being the first knife officially designed and purchased by the U.S. Army...The Mounted Riflemen were sent to the Oregon Territory in 1849 and were subsequently assigned to garrisons in California. Many of the men deserted during the California Gold Rush that was then at its peak."