Description: Vintage soapstone carving of a seal, Inuit, Alaskan Aboriginal, signed. Small figure of a seal. The carving is one piece of soapstone. The figure of the seal has been polished, which causes it to stand out from the “rock,” which has been left rough. An important staple of the Inuit diet, seals are used for multiple purposes: in addition to being food, their fur is used for mittens, hats and tourist souvenirs, the guts are cleaned, and sewn together to make waterproof parkas. When a seal is caught, it is skinned and the meat is carved into pieces, and parts divided among villagers at a “potlatch.” The oil is rendered to use as cooking oil and for lamps. This small carving was one I bought in Bethel, AK, in the 1990’s. It’s signed, but the carver’s name isn’t clear to me. Thanks for looking!
Price: 19 USD
Location: Austin, Texas
End Time: 2025-01-01T22:57:05.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Provenance: Ownership History Available
Artisan: Sonny J Mant
Tribal Affiliation: Inuit
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
Handmade: Yes
Culture: Native American: US
