Early Bill Reid Works Donated to Museum of Anthropology

×

Expand

Photo by Bill McLennan

Bill Reid bracelet

Eelaborately hinged, gold bracelet in the form of a raven, with cut-out wings and feathers (c.1955)

In December 2011, MOA  received an extraordinary gift from Dr. Sydney Friedman (Professor Emeritus, UBC Faculty of Medicine) and his late wife, UBC Emerita Constance Friedman (formerly Professor Emerita in the same faculty). The couple had been acquainted for many years with Haida artist, Bill Reid (1920–1998), whom they commissioned to make numerous pieces of gold and silver jewellery.

The Friedmans’ gift includes their entire collection, formed between 1950 and 1974, and which represents the early decades of Reid's goldsmithing career. Also included is an older Haida bracelet by an unnamed artist. Particularly outstanding among the 12 works by Reid are an elaborately hinged, gold bracelet in the form of a raven, with cut-out wings and feathers (c.1955); a matching gold brooch and pair of gold earrings (c.1954); a hinged silver bracelet with repoussé eagle (1972); and a silver picture frame fully engraved on the back with a bear motif.