Two Fishing Lures

Artist: Unknown

Culture/People: Ojibwe

Place: Great Lakes, Canada

Media: Wood, feathers, tin, tacks, and pigment

Dims: Larger 2 x 7.5 x 2.75 in. (5 x 19 x 6.9 cm). Smaller 1 x 4.5 x 1.5 in. (2.5 x 11.4 x 3.8 cm).

Date: c. 1925

Description: It’s easy to be hooked (pun intended) on these amazing fishing lures from the collection!

These lures were likely attached to fishing lines and then dangled to attract fish such as lake trout and whitefish. The smaller lure would attract trout and smaller fish and is probably the oldest; the larger lure is more recent and still retains some of its feathers and much of its old-fashioned gilt paint and tin trimmings. These small objects transcend the lines between art, culture, and artifact with equanimity. —Ted Coe

RTC No: NA1312ab
Gift of Ralph T. Coe, 2011