Proto-type model of an Ainu house (chise) made by Masahiro Nomoto in 1999 (with the assistance of David and Chisato Dubreuil) at the SI Office of Exihibits Central (OEC). Made in preparation for making the full scale chise used in the NMNH exhibit, "Ainu: Spirit of a Northern People (April 30, 1999 - Jan. 2, 2000). Constructed of carved wooden sticks (for wall posts and roof beams) tied together. Wall posts inserted into a foamcore base. Foamcore base surfaced with brown paper and edged with black tape. Small section of reed thatching attached to outside of 2 short walls to demonstrate thatching technique. Four detached interior pieces of uncertain function: 2 sticks (32.5 cm and 33 cm in length); an L-shaped piece of foamcore (21 cm L x 12.2 cm W) surfaced with brown paper and edged with black tape possibly representing a storage platform; and a U-shaped object (16 cm L x 11.9 cm W) made of 3 pieces of wood glued together with 2 wooden pegs glued in the corners of the U (possibly representing a hearth).
A photo of house model maker Masahiro Nomoto is illus. Fig. 49.6 p. 365 of Fitzhugh, William W., and Chisato O. Dubreuil. 1999. Ainu: spirit of a northern people. [Washington, D.C.]: Arctic Studies Center, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution in association with University of Washington Press. Another photo of Masahiro Nomoto is Fig. 24.7 p. 186 of same publication, shown making E430623, and Fig. I.2 p. 9 shown with David and Chisato Dubreuil.