Arctic Eskimo Raymond Toolie carved bear effigy. 5 1/2" x 8. 1/2" #D340
Carving, bear effigy with forepaws on a section of the same native material. The figure shows simulated teeth in a red mouth. We acquired this object of Eskimo art in 2000,
The artist, Raymond Toolie, carves in the Yupik tradition and lives in Savoonga, Alaska, a Yupik community on St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea.
8 1/2" long x 5 1/2" high at tip of head. #D340
Additional Info
Please respect that the peoples living on Bering Sea islands live in very harsh climate and conditions. They subsist on harvested sea life, After nutrients are distributed to the community, inedible scaps are thrown away. They may be buried in the tundra or float in the local waters for decades. In its ossified condition it is prized by the native people, Yupik and Inupiaq, as carving material. The age of this Eskimo art object is reasonably estimated at more than 20 years.
According to international treaty, items that may include marine mammal residue, even ossified scraps, while perfectly acceptable for domestic shipping, may not be shipped outside the United States without a special US government permit.
According to recent (2022) information, Raymond Toolie still carves in the Yupik tradition and currently lives in Savoonga, Alaska, a community on St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea.