This is a large, vintage First Nations feast dish by artist Gordon Swance. Created around 1980, it displays that wonderful retro patina that only time can produce. It depicts a salmon and measures 10 inches tall by 31 inches wide. It is signed on the back.

Almost all of the Coastal Nations on the Northwest Coast practice a form of feasting, now broadly referred to as Potlatching; although that name was at one point specific to the feasting ceremony of certain Nations. An important part of this feasting practice is the use of feast dishes; large quantities of food are produced during the course of a sometimes days-long feast and shared amongst the hosts and guests. This acts as a representation of the status, wealth, and rights of the family or person hosting the feast as well as the cultural practice of distribution, sharing, and maintenance of community resources.

Dishes: Feast dishes designed for ceremony are usually quite large. They can range from 1’ x 2’ to 3’ x 21’ long, but dishes made for the art market tend to be on the small side. Feast dishes and bowls, like most cultural belongings created on the Northwest Coast, have intricate designs carved or painted onto their surfaces. Feast dishes are often three dimensional in their design, and bowls often have lids that complete or add to the overall design. Feast dishes are a part of a household’s inherited belongings and important ones are typically named. They are symbolic of abundance, as indicated by their natural form and use.
 
Ladles: Typically, a family will have a large collection of feast ladles that are oiled regularly and used during feasts or Potlatches. At the beginning of the feast, a chest of ladles will be brought out and each guest will take one to use for serving and eating their food throughout the accompanying ceremonies. Ladles can be made from steamed horn or wood, and are usually carved or painted (or both) on the handle.