Early 20th C. Alaskan Walrus Tusk Totem w/ Thunderbird

Native American, Alaska, ca. 1920s CE. A stunning totem pole, skillfully hand-carved from the tusk of a walrus and adorned with red, black, and brown pigments. A thunderbird stands at the top of the fascinating sculpture, spreading its large wings to both sides as it gazes forward from almond-shaped eyes beneath thick brows and towering ears or horns. His prominent beak juts forwards with a projecting tongue, and his intricately incised body displays elaborate plumage along the wings as well as an abstract zoomorphic visage motif on the chest. Below the mythic avian creature is a stylized beaver shown seated with a petite anthropomorphic figure in its lap. The beaver places his front paws on the head of his human companion. The animal's fierce visage displays thick brows, bulging eyes, an upturned nose, and lengthy teeth, all capped with a pair of round ears adorned with smiling faces. A lovely geometric design is additionally incised onto the verso of the thunderbird. Size: 8.25" W x 14" H (21 cm x 35.6 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.

This piece has been searched against the Art Loss Register database and has been cleared. The Art Loss Register maintains the world’s largest database of stolen art, collectibles, and antiques.

Provenance: ex-Duane's Antiques, Anchorage, Alaska, USA

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.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#166705
Condition Report: Collection labels on base and verso. Stable hairline fissure to verso. Otherwise, intact and excellent with nice remaining pigments.