EUR
CAD
AUD
GBP
MXN
HKD
CNY
MYR
SEK
SGD
CHF
THBGreenland Inuit Sperm Whale Tooth Tupilaq Spirit Figure
About Seller
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 Two ways to bid:
- Leave a max absentee bid and the platform will bid on your behalf up to your maximum bid during the live auction.
- Bid live during the auction and your bids will be submitted real-time to the auctioneer.
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $25 |
| $300 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $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
LiveMay 25, 2023
ON-SALE Antiquities, Pre-Columbian, Ethno, More! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (278)
- Lot Description
First Nations, Northern Canada / Greenland, Inuit culture, ca. late 20th to 21st century CE. A dramatic carving of a tupilaq (tupilak), the avenging spirit that shamans conjured up, made from sperm whale tooth. Tupilaq were feared and held great power- it was unwise to make a carving to summon one without consideration - the tupilaq spirit could easily turn on the maker. These figurines were made in secret and at night, from animal and human parts (taken from corpses) and then placed into the sea to seek and destroy the chosen enemy. None of these actual tupilaq figurines used in ritual existed for curious outside cultures to see, so Inuits began carving representations from bone and ivory to show what tupilaq spirits looked like, and these later carvings- such as this piece, became fascinating and important part of Greenlander art. Tupilaqs did not have a defined form - they might be animalistic with polar bear, seal, whale and other hybrid combinations that were both fanciful and grotesque. Size: 1.5" L x 2" W x 4.75" H (3.8 cm x 5.1 cm x 12.1 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.
Provenance: private Hood River, Oregon, 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.
#178603Condition
Intact and very good with minor striations on head.
- Shipping Info
-
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.
-
- Buyer's Premium
