Male Orca Pendant

Cavin Richie grew up in Colorado surrounded by the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains. He moved to Washington State in 1970 and has lived near the sea ever since. Cavin's designs are a reflection of his surroundings. His line includes birds, mammals and amphibians, all accurately detailed. For the past thirty years he has carved with shed elk antler and woolly mammoth ivory. These carvings became the basis for his lost wax casting jewelry.

"Carving," says Cavin "is like touching antiquity. I feel a kinship with a long lineage of carvers dating back to the Pleistocene."

We are pleased to offer these solid bronze lost wax castings. A patina complements the earthy metal, giving each piece a unique finish.

Whales, a common motif in the art of the Northwest Coast peoples, were the subject of countless stories and legends. One story held that a whale could capture a canoe and drag it and the people aboard down to an underwater Village of the Whales. These people were then transformed into whales themselves. The Haida believed that whales seen near villages were these drowned people trying to communicate with the villagers.

A Tlingit legend tells that the first orcas (killer whales) were carved from yellow cedar and sent into the ocean with instructions to be friendly towards people. The killer whales guide the Indians towards fish and are helpful except when they are treated discourteously.