INUIT, ALASKA

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This exceptional walrus ivory harpoon foreshaft is carved with a raised seal head in relief at one end and further embellished with finely incised engravings of a seal’s face and delicate eye-line motifs. The artist’s hand reveals both technical mastery and a deep cultural connection to the animal world, transforming a functional hunting implement into a work of sculptural beauty.

The foreshaft once served as the joining element between the main shaft of a harpoon and the toggling, detachable head. Beyond its utilitarian purpose, this piece reflects a special reverence for the seal, a central figure in Inuit survival and animistic spirituality. The vital elegance and consummate craftsmanship with which a carver shaped a harpoon truly paid honor to the animals that gave their lives for the human community.

Considering its age and fragility, this piece is preserved in remarkable condition, showing some signs of wear consistent with traditional use, and a warm natural patina throughout. This is an outstanding example of nineteenth-century Arctic craftsmanship suited for both ethnographic and fine art collections. The point is not original to the piece but is of the period.

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