Alaska's Arts, Crafts & Collectibles

What is the difference between walrus ivory and elephant ivory? What's the relationship between beach grass and Attu baskets, or California abalone and Tlingit masks? Only Alaska's Arts, Crafts & Collectibles supplies answers to these questions-and many more. From Aleut baskets to bentwood hunting hats to button blankets and dentalia, this guide to genuine Alaska collectibles is indispensable to the discerning collector. The body of the book is called Materials, Art Forms, Motifs, and runs from Abalone to Yo-yo (Eskimo) through a long alphabet, telling how native materials are used, what they are made into, and how and why. This book is good for a read-through before going to Alaska, then can serve as a reference book on Alaskan art forms and materials.