King Island, Alaska, Inuit
19th century or before
Walrus ivory
Length 1 3/4" (4.4 cm); width 3/4" (1.9 cm)
Provenance: Private collection, Maine
Toggles of this type fastened lines and garments along the Bering Strait coast, combining practical function with imagery drawn from the natural and spiritual world of Inuit hunters. The polar bear was among the most significant animals in King Island Inuit life, a powerful presence in both the physical environment and the ceremonial imagination of the community. The pairing of a bear with a separately carved human hand introduces a layer of meaning that draws on the close and complex relationship between humans and animals in Inuit cosmology.
This toggle is carved as a polar bear with bared teeth, incised brows, and inlaid blue eyes, the body worked to a smooth rounded form consistent with King Island ivory production of the 19th century or earlier. A separately carved hand is fitted to the reverse and can be drawn out from the piece, an unusual and inventive feature that distinguishes this toggle from standard production. The ivory has developed a warm patina through age and handling, and provenance traces to a private collection in Maine.
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 was made prior to 1972.
We ship free within the United States, fully insured, packed by hand.
King Island, Alaska, Inuit
19th century or before
Walrus ivory
Length 1 3/4" (4.4 cm); width 3/4" (1.9 cm)
Provenance: Private collection, Maine
Toggles of this type fastened lines and garments along the Bering Strait coast, combining practical function with imagery drawn from the natural and spiritual world of Inuit hunters. The polar bear was among the most significant animals in King Island Inuit life, a powerful presence in both the physical environment and the ceremonial imagination of the community. The pairing of a bear with a separately carved human hand introduces a layer of meaning that draws on the close and complex relationship between humans and animals in Inuit cosmology.
This toggle is carved as a polar bear with bared teeth, incised brows, and inlaid blue eyes, the body worked to a smooth rounded form consistent with King Island ivory production of the 19th century or earlier. A separately carved hand is fitted to the reverse and can be drawn out from the piece, an unusual and inventive feature that distinguishes this toggle from standard production. The ivory has developed a warm patina through age and handling, and provenance traces to a private collection in Maine.
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 was made prior to 1972.
We ship free within the United States, fully insured, packed by hand.
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