Offered in this lot is a Trapper Hide Flesher / Scraper, circa late 19th / early 20th century, with a thick hand-made solid leather sheath. An impressive steel tool known as an Ulu with a wood handle. Of all the innovative tools that came from the Indigenous Peoples of the northernmost regions of North America, one is foremost: the Ulu knife. The Ulu knife was their main cutting tool. It was originally made from flat, thin, rocks, slate, or even jade. Handles were fashioned out of wood, ivory, or bone and often decorated with distinctive markings of the craftsman. As time progressed, and fishing ships were common in northern Atlantic and Pacific waters, the Indigenous People took advantage of the new materials available to them: steel. Instead of using rocks, the Native peoples made even better Ulu knives – sharper and varied in design. The Ulu comes in four distinct styles, the Iñupiat (Alaskan), Canadian, West Greenlandic, and East Greenlandic. In Canada the blade more often is attached to the handle by a single stem in the centre. In the western areas of the Canadian Arctic the blade of the Ulu tends to be of a triangular shape, while in the eastern Arctic the ends of the blade tend to be more pointed. This blade is in a half moon shape with squared tips to facilitate a rocking motion when cutting or chopping that conveniently enabled single handed use. The wood handle is quite smooth with rounded tips and fits comfortably in the hand. Ulus came in different sizes and served many purposes. This Ulu-style Hide Flesher is in good overall condition, edge is still sharp in spite of some blade surface oxidation. Wood handle is solidly attached to the blade, original nail heads are smooth from years of tool usage. No other obvious marring noted. Hand-made leather sheath is nailed together, original tack nails, holds blade nicely, initials, "FS" carved onto face. Ulu in sheath measures 4.75"W x 6"L, Ulu measures 4.25"W x 5.5"L