Featured Native Face Carving

Hi,
I picked this carving up a while ago and have been trying to figure it out. Signed (A.) E Natrall - I can find carvers with the name Natrall, (Coast Salish) but this doesn't look like a West Coast piece. It is 9" x 6" x 5 1/2".
Any information appreciated
thanks for looking

 

Maybe Frank .....the Coast Salish Natrall's have a long history of NWC 1st Nations art carving...
this one is a low end tourist item......but IS authentic !

Now, Ray Natrall.......that's where they shine !

 

thank-you Komokwa! I'll see what I can find for Frank - it sure could be an F instead of an E. I must admit, I really didn't think this would be West Coast, thanks for sharing your knowledge

 

Yes, could be Frank, as Komo suggests; but it is a large family. I've seen these little heads before, but don't recall which of the Natralls do them. Their family tradition is to sign with a first initial, and last name, all caps except the two L's: P. NATRAll; F. NATRAll; so the signature is correct, F rather than E. They are Squamish, a Coast Salish band from SW B.C. (An older spelling is Skokomish).
Many live in Vancouver; the Squamish territory extends up to Whistler. Paul Natrall is a chef in North Van (owner/operator of PR BannockFactory http://prbannockfactory.webstarts.com/) and Frank also works as a cook.
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squamish_people

 

PS, although Skokomish is an old and literal phonetic spelling of the native name for the Squamish people, they should not be confused with the Skokomish people, now a Federally recognized tribe in Washington State, Mason County.
The two Coast Salish names themselves are closely related, the people less so.
Squamish: Skwxwu7mesh
Skokomish: sqWuqWu'b3sH (People of the river)

 

thank-you all_fakes for this information I've now found a few of these heads by Natrall family.
that food looks delicious on the Bannock Factory site.

 

Sure does....I'll have to try to get some next time I'm in Vancouver.

 

Looks like an F to me .. Joy.