The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1942-04-02
!, ART AND CRAFT
ST0CkR00M IS
COL0RFUL SPOT
indian and Eskimo Hand
Work from Entire Terri
tory Is Handled Here

Moccasins of hair seal. moccas-
ms of buckskin, moccasins gray
brown and white, some with brill
liant bead trimming and some with
bits of bright green, red or yellow
bead trimmed flannel on the toe
are pouring into the stockroom OF
the Arts and Crafts Department OF
the Alaska Indian Service.
The moccasins come from Hoo
nah. Haines, Angoon, Klukwan and
Sitka and go out from the stock
room to curio dealers in all parts
of the Territory where they are
purchased, mainly, these days by
service men to be re-shipped by
the dozens to folks back home. "
Others, of course can buy them
also, but the coming of military
bases in Alaska has brought a
boom to the cWio trade that keeps
H w Starting Isupervisor of native
arts and crafts in the Territory, and
his staff jumping to keep up with.
Monday, 1877 pairs of moccasins
arrived in the stockroom from
Hoonah and Klukwan--but there
are already orders for more than
this will supply. Mr. Startling and
his staff, Miss Helen Davis, his
secretary and Mrs. Dora Judson,
stockroom clerk, were busy today
sizing, pricing and stamping them
all genuine made in Alaska pre-
paratory to shipment.
Ivory FavOrite
Carved ivory pieces, from simple
butter knives and cigarette holders,
to elaborate carved tusks, cribbage
boards and bracelets are the fav-
orite Alaska made articles of SER
vice men from Ketchikan to Nome,
TO judge by the purchases which
keep the stockroom almost empty
OF these pieces of handwork.
Shipments of ivory come in more
rarely than the maccasins, totem
poles and ether articles made in
this vicinity as they are shipped
from the faraway arctic, Nome,
Nunivak, st. wrence Island,
King Island and other distant
places.
The ivory only remains in the
stockrooms long enough to be
marked and reshipped to dealers
who have standing orders far ahead.
While some of the curios are sold
to the post exchanges and ship
service stores of the various bases.
only a small portion are handled
through these, by far the greater
part going to the regular CONNER
cial curio dealers, Mr.. Startling
said.
Baskets and Totem Poles
Colorful totems poles come in
from all parts of Southeast Alaska
all the time and are sold almost as
quickly Among some of the favor
ties are miniatures of Chief John
son. Kicksetti, Took Toohi, Chief
Khan and the Raven totems. though
Thunder Bird, Grow eLiarD and
Little Eagle Good Luck) are also
popular s
The Juneau Arts and Crafts Of
flee is also the clearing house for
baskets from all parts of the Ter
ritory. In fact all hand-craft of
Indians and Eskimos in Alaska,
with the exception of fur products,
such as parkas. mukluks, Eskimo
slippers, fur socks and Eskimo dolls,
are handled by Mr.. Startling and
his staff. The. fur goods depart
ment is taken care of at the Nome
office OF the Arts and Crafts de-
partment.
Baskets are needed by the Arts
and Crafts Department as they
never have enough to fill the de-
mand. They receive them. from
everywhere and of every size. The
small finely woven Attu baskets are
becoming very rare and are snapped
up the moment they arrive.
Basket shipments from the far
north come only in the spring and
include the Eskimo baskets woven
from native grasses from Nelson
Island, Nunivak Island, st. Mich
ael and Stebbins while the Yukon
River baskets, and trays made from
split willow arrive at varied inter-
walls. All are beautifully done with
the brilliantly colored native de-
signs woven through them. In con-
trast to the yividness of the grass