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William Ernest Swaffield was a Hudson Bay factor in three Labrador
posts – Cartwright, North West River and Davis Inlet – between 1880
and 1910. His grandson, Alexander Ernest Swaffield of Hawkesbury, donated a small collection
of his grandfather's ivories in 1992 to the Canadian Museum of Civilization.
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Bear, 1880–1910
Labrador
Ivory, black colouring
3 x 8 x 2.5 cm
CMC IV-B-1950
Gift of Mr. Alexander Ernest Swaffield, Hawkesbury, 1992
Collected by William Ernest Swaffield while working at Hudson's Bay
trading posts in Cartwright, North West River and Davis Inlet
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This bear is so clean and pristine, it is likely it was created
specifically for trade with its collector – Hudson's Bay factor
Ernest William Swaffield.
Arctic Fox, 1880–1910
Labrador
Ivory, black colouring
1.8 x 6 x 0.4 cm
CMC IV-B-1949
Gift of Mr. Alexander Ernest Swaffield, Hawkesbury, 1992
Collected by William Ernest Swaffield while working at Hudson's Bay
trading posts in Cartwright, North West River and Davis Inlet
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The brown patch on the animal's right flank is similar to the
colouring on the bear in catalogue number iv-b-1950. This carving's
clean, crisp condition, and the lively alertness of the fox, are
reminiscent of the figure of the bear. It is very likely that the
same carver created a whole series of animals out of one ivory tusk
and sold them all to Swaffield.
Hunter in Kayak, 1880–1910
Labrador
Ivory, black colouring
5.5 x 22 x 2.5 cm
CMC IV-B-1957
Gift of Mr. Alexander Ernest Swaffield, Hawkesbury, 1992
Collected by William Ernest Swaffield while working at Hudson's Bay
trading posts in Cartwright, North West River and Davis Inlet
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Seal, 1880–1910
Labrador
Ivory, black colouring
1 x 7.3 x 2 cm
CMC IV-B-1959
Gift of Mr. Alexander Ernest Swaffield, Hawkesbury, 1992
Collected by William Ernest Swaffield while working at Hudson's Bay
trading posts in Cartwright, North West River and Davis Inlet
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The brown patches in the ivory, the crisp condition, and the
realistic treatment of the animal, all point to the same artist who
did the bear and the fox in Swaffield's collection.
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