Two Inuit carvings listed locally.

Last of my three posts of local listings I found today are two stone Inuit carvings. One walrus signed by the artist “Kipolhoon Homer Alaska 1982”. There is another piece with the same signature on worthpoint, I just can’t access it. There’s also one mentioned on a collectors site with lots of NA stuff but it seems to not actually be there anymore and just shows up in searches. The two found in searches and the one I found for sale today are all from 1982 I believe. Does anyone know the signature? It’s listed at $50 and has been up for a while so should be able to get it for less if it’s a good one.

The other one I found looks quite large relative to the bricks in the photo. This is the only photo available unfortunately. I’ve requested more and I am waiting. It’s just a face in hood carved in white stone. Is this marble? Light colored soap stone? Other? Listed at $100 obo.

Do either look like good buys? At about half these prices I would probably take them and figure it out later but may as well get some quick opinions.

 

stay away from both if you are interested in real Inuit carvings......
BTW...the Inuit are not from Alaska.....that would be Alaskan Eskimo..

 

Good point and thanks for the heads up . I didn’t love either for me but if there was a buck to me made I wouldn’t have minded making it.

 

in this case the buck being made....would only be by the seller..!

 

well we don’t want that! The white one is just a lady seemingly clearing out her parents or other relatives estate. The other may be someone who knows more.


I did buy something recently I would like your opinion on though. Supposedly a NW NA potlatch bowl but I definitely need some good eyes on it. It looks good to me. I’ll post it sooner than later!

 

I'll be watching.....& so will others !

 

The head looks like travertine and there are deposits in the PNW.

 

I think Kipolhoon is an artist from Alaska, family from https://kawerak.org/our-region/unalakleet/ Not sure about the Homer connection. Likely she is Unaligmiut Eskimo, but really don't know.
She works in soapstone carvings and other modern media.
This looks to be her:
I worked with a writer in Anchorage whose long-gone grandmother was named Kipolhoon, so it took my interest.

 

maybe...but the carving is nothing more than a blob...

 

Personally I love the lady bust ! Id absolutely buy that .

 

Really great video thanks! I wouldn’t be too surprised if it was her or a family member. I don’t know how frequently but it seems that with relative frequency there is more than one artist in NA families that works in the same medium.

 

Good to know! It was one of those things I thought someone else would like enough that I could make a buck off it sooner or later if I got it at the right number. That’s when I was assuming it was NA made though. If it’s not I’m not so sure.