DOGFISH BENTWOOD BOX BY VICTOR MICHAEL WEST

This beautiful box, by Tlingit artist Victor Michael West, was handmade from both yellow and red cedar. Precise lines were first cut into the wood; a technique called kerfing, and then the box was steamed and bent along the lines. Carved in shallow relief, the Dogfish design has been split to encompass the sides of the box. Victor has signed the bottom of the piece and I will provide a copy of the artist’s biography to the purchaser.

Dogfish are small bottom-feeding sharks that are respected for their fierceness and tenacity. They equipped with a dangerous pair of sharp bony spikes, protruding each just ahead of its two dorsal fins. They are considered to be a nuisance to cod, salmon, and halibut fishermen as a result of their voracious appetite for bait and hooked fish. It is a testament to the Dogfish's wild ominous grace and power that such a troublesome creature could become an honored family crest.

Dogfish are easily identified by a high domed forehead, down-turned mouth, usually with sharp pointed teeth, and gill slits on each side of the mouth. The high forehead represents the underside view of the shark’s long tapering head and nose. Other identifying features of this creature include: two small round nostrils, gill slits on the forehead and/or cheeks, eyes having vertical pupils, prominent fins, sharp spines and asymmetrical tail flukes.

Price: $350.00

Dimensions

Height: 5 1/2 Inches
Width: 3 1/2 Inches
Depth: 3 1/2 Inches