Description:

Mitchell Toolie (St. Lawrence Island Yupik, 20th to 21st century). Otter, fossilized walrus bone and baleen sculpture, n.d. Signed on underside of base; Anonymous (St. Lawrence Island Yupik, 20th to 21st century). Polar Bear, baleen sculpture, n.d. Indecipherable signature with "Gambell / AK 99742" on underside of proper right feet. A charming pair of ivory sculptures depicting an otter and a polar bear, both skillfully sculpted with fur coats carefully incised with petite striations of each hair follicle and facial features and claws delineated in black pigment. The otter stands atop a polished base of fossilized whale bone drilled with holes to give the impression that the animal is ice fishing. Alternatively, the bear is shown steadily striding forward, leisurely dragging one of its immense paws and raising its pointed snout. Size: 5.6" L x 2" W x 1.4" H (14.2 cm x 5.1 cm x 3.6 cm)

Please note this item may fall under the Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act and may not eligible for international shipping. Native American, Alaska Native, & Native Hawaiian objects are only eligible to ship within the United States.

This is an ESA antique exempt piece of ivory and cannot be sold internationally or to anyone residing in the states of California, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Washington.

Provenance: private Studio City, California, USA collection

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

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#180478

  • Condition: Otter signed on underside of base; indecipherable signature with "Gambell / AK 99742" on underside of proper right feet. Natural fissure and ossification to fossilized salrus bone. Otherwise, both are intact and excellent with great detail.

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September 8, 2023 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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