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THBAncient Inuit / Aleut Fossilized Walrus Tusk Axe Head
Lot 198b
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$2,500 - $3,500
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| $0 | $25 |
| $300 | $50 |
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| $2,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Mar 21, 2019
Set Reminder
2019-03-21 10:00:00
2019-03-21 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Fine Ancient | Asian | Ethnographic Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/fine-ancient-asian-ethnographic-art-3967
Featuring classical antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art from cultures encompassing the globe, plus fine art. Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Asian, Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fine Art, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Featuring classical antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art from cultures encompassing the globe, plus fine art. Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Asian, Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fine Art, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (383)
- Lot Description
Native American, Arctic, Inuit or Aleut peoples, ca. 1500 to 1800 CE. A beautiful axe head carved from the tusk of a walrus with a short, thick tang, an indented shoulder meant to hold wound bindings, a thick ovoid body, and a tapered blade edge. The tool is fabulously fossilized with creamy streaks of white and brown coursing across the incredibly smooth body. Axe heads like this were secured to a lengthy wooden pole with strands of leather or thread and used for a variety of utilitarian purposes. Full tusk axe blades like this are incredibly rare based on the degradation of the natural material. Size: 10.1" L x 2.25" W (25.7 cm x 5.7 cm).
The walrus is one of the most iconic Arctic animals, instantly recognizable with prominent tusks, whiskers, and bulky, blubber-filled bodies. This example is from Odobenus rosmarus divergens, the Pacific walrus, who can grow to more than 2000 kg (4400 lbs). They live in the shallow waters of continental shelves and are highly social animals, often found bellowing and snorting at one another. Part of their social standing is determined by the size of their tusks, and this fellow whose tusks are preserved here would have been a prominent member of his group. Walruses also use their tusks to haul themselves along ice or rock. Males sometimes use their tusks for fighting and have been known to stab each other with them, especially in competition for mates.
The ivory on this item pre-dates 1900 and was acquired long before the 1970 ban on ivory trade.
Please note that ivory from any species cannot be shipped to the US States of California, Hawai'i, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Washington State. As of 2019, they will not be able to be shipped to Illinois.
Provenance: private southwestern Pennsylvania, 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.
#144754Small chips to tang, body, and blade edge, with light indentations, light fissures and darkening commensurate with fossilization, and light encrustations within some recessed areas. Light earthen deposits and smooth surfaces throughout. Old inventory number written in black ink on verso.Condition
- Shipping Info
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All shipping is handled in-house for your convenience. Your invoice from Artemis Gallery will include shipping calculation instructions. If in doubt, please inquire BEFORE bidding for estimated shipping costs for individual items.
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