Lot 254
**First Time At Auction**
Native American, Pacific Northwest, Haida, British Columbia, ca. 1980 CE. Signed by Glen Pollard (b. 1957 in Haida Gwaii). A compelling black argillite pipe finely carved in the form of a crouching bear with an expressive visage comprised of wide-open abalone shell eyes, flaring nostrils, an open mouth bearing intimidating fangs and teeth, and raised ears as if on alert or poised to pounce. Argillite is a fine-grained sedimentary rock that is typically black in color and lustrous once polished; it often has an impressively smooth appearance that truly makes the carving come to life as we see in this example. In the 19th century, the Haida people began to carve this material as a trade good for visiting Europeans and Americans, because of the decline of their traditional economic practice of fishing. Argillite carvings served as a way to show their artistic merit in addition to introducing Northwest Coast iconography to the outside world. Size: 4.5" W x 1.5" H (11.4 cm x 3.8 cm)
Various legends tell of a bear abducting a Chief's daughter. According to the story, this woman of high status had been out in the woods picking berries, when she stepped on some bear dung and cursed aloud, insulting the bear's cleanliness. Two nearby bears who heard her were upset and decided to teach her a lesson. One bear magically transformed himself into a dashing young man who approached this woman, and convinced her to accompany him to his mountain house. Upon falling in love with him, she too became partially bear-like. The two married and had twin cubs - born resembling bears but could metamorphose themselves into a human form just like their father. When the woman's brothers found her, they retaliated by killing her husband. They all then returned to the village, only the two bear sons felt out of place and eventually returned to the forest. All Bear Clan members are said to descend from this woman and her two sons. Hence, it is believed that there is a bear within every one of us, and that we must accept and embrace this in our lives.
Provenance: private Newport Beach, 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.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#155316
- Condition: Excellent condition with very light surface wear commensurate with age. Signed by Glen Pollard.
Accepted Forms of Payment:
American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Shipping
Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense
Artemis Fine Arts
You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 24.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.
View full terms and conditions
| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |