Featured Another NW Totem

Stands 20 inches. I felt it had some merit. The lower facial images caught my eye and would like to know more. The sharp carving style & lines I find interesting, though this may be a detractor. I'm tending to not pay attention to sellers remarks, just acquiring this for what I think is a decent looking carving whether it's native or not.

 

I'd say Jimmy John, Nuu-chah-nulth. Info on him thanks to "Rich M:"
"Jimmy John (1876-1978) was born in Friendly Cove, British Columbia. Jimmy John was a well-known and well-liked Nuu-chah-nulth artist who began carving in the early 20th century. Once chief of the Yuquot, he was a carver of totem poles, masks and silver jewelry. He died in Nanaimo in 1978. Jimmy John was a direct descendant of Chief Maquinna."
The rather sharp carving style is one characteristic of Nuu-chah-nulth totems. (formerly called Nootka...long story about that). Your totem is loosely modeled after two very famous poles that stand in Alert Bay, I believe, though most of the style represents both Nuu-chah-nulth style in general, and Jimmy John's personal style.
Compare:

 

Thank you. This one seems similar as well, signed by Leslie John - note lower details.

 

Right. Same family. To elaborate or bore people a bit, the Nuu-chah-nulth style for the last 150 years or so has been quite angular, and not generally featuring the complex ovoids and u-forms that are part of the Northwest Coast formline style, though the Nuu-chah-nulth are close neighbors of the Kwakwaka'wakw. It is believed that in older times they did share the Northern style, and it is not really known what lead to the change to the current style. A number of carvers have, and do, mix the two styles. Below is a mask illustrating a fairly pure contemporary Nuu-chah-nulth style in a mask. The right-angles, for example, would be considered incorrect in a Kwakwaka'wakw mask.

 

the ' right angles ' would be verboten ..."anywhere" else on the Northwest Coast....

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Thanks, I'm learning slowly but surely ~

 

I need to qualify this by adding there is an exception to be made for Chilkat weaving designs....

 

Right - the weavings require compromises which would not be acceptable in wood carvings, and also include a number of conventions not found in carvings.
For example, the round circles in the Chilkat weaving are said to represent the ends of gambling sticks (imagine them as piercing the weaving vertically) and thus are a sign of wealth; would not apply to a circle in a wood carving. Good general article on Chilkat weavings, which have a fascinating history: Chilkat weaving - Wikipedia
For anyone interested in learning more about Northwest Coast Native art in general, I'd highly recommend as an introduction Hilary Stewart's "Looking at Indian Art of the Northwest Coast," and slightly more technical, but a classic, Bill Holm's "Northwest Coast Indian Art: An Analysis of Form."

 

Just got a copy of Hilary's ' Looking at Totem Poles' which is a nice starting reference with well done illustrations. Will have to grab the book of hers you mention on art - what's nice is they can be found for less then $5.00 -