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Yup'ik Ivory Carvings from Alaska

 

These carvings were purchased by Paul Crosby directly from Yup'ik carvers in the Alaskan village of Savoonga on St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea during February 2007.  For pictures of the trip to Savoonga, click HERE.

All of the carvings are made from fresh walrus ivory that was taken from subsistence hunting activities.  Many have eyes or trim using baleen and are often set on fossilized walrus ivory bases.  Savoonga is known as the "Walrus Capital of the World."  The walrus are hunted for meat--a number of the carvers had just returned from a successful walrus hunt on the day I was buying carvings.  The tusks are carved to supplement the income of the hunters.  The villagers also hunt whales for the meat.  Many of the carvings have baleen eyes or trim used in them.  

It is legal for the Eskimo in Alaska to carve ivory and use other marine mammal parts so long as there is a significant transformation of the item.  It is illegal for non-Natives to own the raw, unworked ivory tusks or other marine mammal parts.

Genus and species:  Odobenus rosmarus.  Wild.

The carvings cannot be shipped outside of the United States under any circumstances because of prohibitions under the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Native Made in the USA

Gallery of Individual Carvings for Sale

You will get the exact piece shown.

Yup'ik Ivory Carving - Polar Bear Head on Claw

Order Code:  R-1000-G01

Artist:  Ray Toolie

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Height: 4.25"
Width:  2"

Weight:  85 grams.

Materials:  Real polar bear claw, baleen divider, walrus ivory carving of polar bear head, baleen eyes and nose.

Price: US$1,250.00

Yup'ik Ivory Carving - Eagle Head

Order Code:  R-1000-G02

Artist:  Shenise Kingeekuk, 11 years old

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Height: 2"
Length: 2.5"
Width:  0.5"

Weight:  25 grams.

Materials:  Walrus ivory carving, baleen base, baleen eye and nose insert.

Price: US$100.00

Yup'ik Ivory Carving - Light Polar Bear Claw

Order Code:  R-1000-G03

Artist:  Gertrude Toolie

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Length: 2.5"
Width: 0.5"

Weight:  20 grams.

Materials:  Real polar bear claw, baleen divider, walrus ivory cap.

Price: US$625.00

Yup'ik Ivory Carving

Order Code:  R-1000-G04

Artist:  Gertrude Toolie

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Height: various
Length: various
Width: various

Weight:  various grams.

Price: US$45.00 each

Pictures still need to be loaded to website.

 

Yup'ik Ivory Carving - Fat Walrus

Order Code:  R-1000-G05

Artist:  Julius Alowa

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Height: 1.75"
Length: 2.5"
Width:  1.75"

Weight:  54 grams.

Materials:  Walrus ivory carving of walrus with baleen eyes.

Price: US$300.00

Yup'ik Ivory Carving - Kayak Hunter

Order Code:  R-1000-G06

Artist:  Lane Rookok, 71 years old

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Height: 1"
Length: 4.5"
Width: 2"

Weight:  32 grams.

Materials:  Walrus ivory.

Price: US$450.00

  
Yup'ik Ivory Carving - Distinguished Walrus

Order Code:  R-1000-G07

Artist:  Reggie Wongittilin

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Height: 2.75"
Length: 3"
Width:   2.75"

Weight:  293 grams.

Materials:  Walrus ivory carving of walrus with baleen eyes sitting on a base made from fossil walrus jawbone.

Price: US$425.00

Yup'ik Ivory Carving - Seal

Order Code:  R-1000-G08

Artist:  Harold Kiyuklook

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Height: 1.25"
Length: 2.75"
Width:  1.25"

Weight:  32 grams.

Materials:  Walrus ivory seal with baleen eyes and nose.

Price: US$175.00

Yup'ik Ivory Carving - Two Whales Playing

Order Code:  R-1000-G09

Artist:  Harold Kiyuklook

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Height: 2.5"
Length: 2.75"
Width:  2"

Weight:  104 grams.

Materials:  Two walrus ivory whales with baleen eyes on fossil walrus jaw ivory base.

Price: US$175.00

Yup'ik Ivory Carving - Snow Owl

Order Code:  R-1000-G10

Artist:  Wilferd Miklahook

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Height: 2"
Length: 4" 
Width:  2.5"

Weight:  69 grams.

Materials:  Walrus ivory owl with baleen eyes on fossil whale bone base.

Price: US$375.00

Yup'ik Ivory Carving - Seal Claw with Carving

Order Code:  R-1000-G11-A

Artist: Harlan

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Length: 3.25"

Weight:  10 grams.

Materials:  Bearded seal claw with walrus tooth carving and baleen divider and eyes.

Price: US$225.00

Yup'ik Ivory Carving - Seal Claw with Carving

Order Code:  R-1000-G11-B

Artist:  

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Length: 3.25"

Weight:  11 grams.

Materials:  Bearded seal claw with walrus tooth carving and baleen divider and eyes.

Price: US$225.00

Yup'ik Ivory Carving - Seal Claw with Carving

Order Code:  R-1000-G11-C

Artist:  

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Length: 3"

Weight:  8 grams.

Materials:  Bearded seal claw with walrus tooth carving and baleen divider and eyes.

Price: US$225.00

Yup'ik Ivory Carving - Seal Claw with Carving

Order Code:  R-1000-G11-D

Artist:  

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Length: 3.75"

Weight:  12 grams.

Materials:  Bearded seal claw with walrus tooth carving and baleen divider and eyes.

Price: US$225.00

Yup'ik Ivory Carving - Owl

Order Code:  R-1000-G12

Artist:  Julian Seppilu

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Height: 2.25"
Length: 3.5"
Width:  1.75"

Weight:  63 grams.

Materials:  Walrus ivory owl with fossilized mammoth ivory eyes and baleen eyeballs.

Price: US$250.00

Yup'ik Ivory Carving - Minke Whale

Order Code:  R-1000-G13

Artist:  Julian Seppilu

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Length: 4.75"
Width: 1"
Height with stand:  3.5"

Weight:  116 grams.

Materials:  Walrus ivory whale with baleen eyes and support on fossil walrus ivory base.

Price: US$1,250.00

Yup'ik Ivory Carving - Best Walrus

Order Code:  R-1000-G14

Artist:  Julian Seppilu

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Height: 2.25"
Length: 2.75"
Width:  1.5"

Weight:  83 grams.

Materials:  Walrus ivory with baleen eyes.

Price: US$425.00

Yup'ik Ivory Carving - Walrus

Order Code:  R-1000-G15

Artist:  Julian Seppilu

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Height: 2.25"
Length: 2.75"
Width: 1.5"

Weight:  64 grams.

Price: US$400.00

Yup'ik Ivory Carving

Order Code:  R-1000-G17

Artist: Julian Seppilu

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Height: 2.5"
Length: 2.75"
Width: 1.75"

Weight:  98 grams.

Materials:  Walrus ivory with baleen eyes.

Price: US$400.00

Yup'ik Ivory Carving

Order Code:  R-1000-G18

Artist:  Benjamin Pungowiyi

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Height: 1.75"
Length: 2.5"
Width:  1.5"

Weight:  41 grams.

Materials:  Walrus ivory.

Price: US$250.00

Yup'ik Ivory Carving

Order Code:  R-1000-G20

Artist:  Unknown

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Height: 0.75"
Length: 3"
Width:  1.5"

Weight:  39 grams.

Materials:  Walrus ivory.

Price: US$175.00

Yup'ik Ivory Carving

Order Code:  R-1000-G21

Artist:  Unknown

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Height: 1.25"
Length: 3"
Width:  1.5"

Weight:  21 grams.

Materials:  Walrus ivory.

Price: US$225.00

Yup'ik Ivory Carving

Order Code:  R-1000-G22

Artist:  Unknown

Community:  Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Length: 1.5"

Weight:  7 grams.

Materials:  Walrus ivory.

Price: US$50.00