Painted Hand Drum

Tlingit people, Alaska, United States (map), d. late 19th c.

Hide, pigments, and nails

11.5” d (29 cm)

Condition: Split in hide (top, center-right), back handle is detached (see photos)

Price: $1,500

Drums fashioned from animal skin were important articles for the Tlingit, particularly for shamanic purposes. This example, painted on its exterior, likely depicts a totemic crest symbol.