North America, Alaska, Greenland, and Canada, Inuit, Aleutian, or Punuk peoples, ca. 12th to early 20th century CE. An assortment of hand- made spearheads for hunting that consist of whale bone, walrus ivory, fossilized ivory, brass, and stone. A few bones are barbed or shaped so that a thin slate or brass tip can be slotted at the end. One with a stone tip has an etched x shape on the bone handle which may be a tribal marking. The hand drilled holes through many of these would enable them to be used as toggling harpoons which was a crucial development in Inuit tools. Toggle tips were loosely tethered with sinew or cord to the throwing pole, so that when it imbedded in the flesh the tension from the tether twisted the tip so it would not slip out and enabled the hunters to pull larger animals to shore. Living in harsh arctic conditions depended on hunting and utilizing all pieces of the animal, down to its bones and teeth, which is wonderfully displayed with this variety of tools. Size of longest bone tip: 6" L x .75" W (15.2 cm x 1.9 cm); display box: 12" L x 8" W (30.5 cm x 20.3 cm)
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. We guarantee that the piece is over 100 years old.
Three pieces are a pre-Act piece of walrus ivory under the MMPA 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. We guarantee that the piece was made prior to 1972.
Provenance: private Newport Beach, California, USA Collection
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#157557
Condition
Surface wear commensurate with age and use. Nicks and chips to peripheries, with normal ossification as expected on whale bone items.