Hello Everyone!
I have been surfing the web and found this Northwest Coast dagger that sold in one of Sotheby's auctions in May of 2000. Please excuse the bad photo. As you can see on this particual dagger the mask is not presented in profile as someone earlier had mentioned but is shown in full view - same as my dagger. This particular dagger meaured 21 1/2" and is decribed as follows: Northwest Coast dagger, probably Tlingit, that is 21 1/2 inches high, and has a finely carve horn veneer handle in the form of a "voracious sea creature. with thick lips, jagged teeth, flaring nostrils and hollowed eye frames with classic ovoid eye rims, holding a shaman figure in its caping mouth. This one is a ceremonial dagger. I would assume mine is ceremonial also?
tomahawk