BACKGROUND - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 736

best places to get your hands on one is the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, although
you can also find them in the Fraser Valley from Vancouver to Lytton and in First Nations
craft outlets. Expect to pay around $120-220 for the real thing, more in tourist shops.
Carved argillite (black slate) miniature totem poles, brooches, ashtrays, and other small
items, highly decorated with geometric and animal designs, are created exclusively by the
Haida on the Haida Gwaii; the argillite comes from a quarry near Skidegate and can only
be used by the Skidegate people. You can find argillite carvings in Skidegate and in craft
shops in Prince Rupert, Victoria, and Vancouver. Silverwork is also popular, and some of
the best is created by the Haida. Particularly notable is the work of Bill Reid, a Haida artist
living in Vancouver. Jade jewelry can be seen in the Lillooet and Lytton areas.