SOLD Elegant Inuit Carved Antler Bone Bird colorfully painted figures 1880s British

1880s British

which were signed by their owner not once by twice--first one the underside of the box top in 1927

as it was so precisely done (oil on tin) I almost didn't believe it was a painting

and what wonderful detail on this portrait of a young Native American woman

This pair I believe dates to the 1960s-70s

SOLD Elegant Inuit Carved Antler Bone Bird colorfully painted figures 1880s BritishThis beautiful Inuit bird leans dramatically in one direction, so a bit of wax underneath its base might be useful to prevent tipping in the breeze. The tilt is the product of using the natural curve of the antler bone, Caribou antler I believe, as found, and then through minimal gestures giving shape to it as a bird, including the carving of two eyes for the head. I find it quite an elegant thing, which also feels to me like a pure embodiment of