Northwest Coast Elbow Adz

ca. 1920 - 1930

1.5" H x 15.875" L x 6.125" W Blade 5.375" L x 1.125" W

Hand Carved from Wood and has a Steel Blade and Attached with Leather

In Very Good Condition

Although this style is more commone with the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian, this came with a large group of Makah/Nootka Material and could have been from the southern region.

The Northwest Coast elbow adz (also called elbow adze or hafted adze) is a traditional hand tool central to Indigenous woodworking in the Pacific Northwest Coast region. It features a short, angled wooden handle—often made from a natural branch crook bent at about 45–60 degrees—with a metal (historically stone or shell) blade lashed or hafted at the end. The "elbow" refers to the sharp bend in the haft, allowing carvers to hold it close to the body and use wrist and elbow motion for precise, controlled swings.Carvers use it primarily for roughing out large red cedar pieces (removing material quickly), shaping, smoothing planks, and applying distinctive faceted textures to surfaces of totem poles, canoes, house posts, masks, bowls, and bentwood boxes. It is often described as the "iconic" or most important carving tool of the region, sometimes called a "bandsaw on a stick" for its efficiency in wasting wood. Modern versions use steel blades (straight or gutter-shaped for hollowing), and contemporary carvers like those from Kestrel Tool continue the tradition.