Yup'ik Museum Replica Clay Mask of a Lunar Spirit, Early 20th Century

Antique Apache Large Earthenware Pot, Second Half 19th Century, a very large hand molded clay spheroid vessel, a classic "Olla," with it's original rawh...

Extremely rare and very special pair of 18th century native American tobacco store hanging trade figures, hand carved in the half round full length figur...

Pacific Northwest coast carved cedar killer whale rattle, by Coastal Salish - Squamish artist Stan Joseph, signed and dated 2012, a beautiful and deeply carved hollow cedar dance rattle in the form of a Killer Whale, with relief carved eyes and mouth, surface striations, and three human faces on the back and tale, with applied pectoral and dorsal fins. Mounted with simple whittled cradle on cedar block base (signed and dated on bottom of base). Hollow interior rattles with entrapped pebbles. The carving was never polychromed and remains in its original natural finish. Excellent condition. Stan Joseph is a Coastal Salish artist from North Vancouver. He began carving in 1962 at the age of twelve, and also ventured into painting and designing totem poles. In 1972 he carved an 80 foot and other huge poles which sold to Germany. In 1980 he carved a 60-foot pole for Sea Span and another one for the Chief Joe Matthias Centre, as well as the welcome figure on the West Vancouver Pier. Stan is now an outstanding master carver who teaches his craft to the next generation of young artists. Stan is also accomplished at making silver and gold jewelry, and teaches this art at the employment center. Stan has been interested in the spiritual dances of the Coast Salish...

Rare Early 20th Century Hand Crafted Mechanical Mallard Duck Decoy, circa 1920s, by an unknown "factory" decoy maker. The decoy bears a close resemblance to the Evans Standard Grade ...

A fantastic, somewhat sinister appearing mask by the Yup'ik (Yupik) aboriginal, indigenous people of South-Western & South Central Alaska. The Yup'ik people, who are related to the I...

A beautiful, somewhat benevolent mask by the Yup'ik (Yupik) aboriginal, indigenous people of South-Western & South Central Alaska. The Yup'ik people, who are related to the Inuit peoples, have a long history of ceremonial mask making. Yup'ik masks were originally and specifically designed by Shamans and made to be worn by these spiritual leaders in Winter tribal dances and sacred ceremonies. Traditionally, the masks were destroyed or discarded after use in these ceremonies. Very few of these masks survived. After Christian contact in the late 19th century, masked dancing was suppressed and the tradition all but died out. As more outsiders settled in Alaska at the turn of the century, masks were made by the Yup'ik people to sell or trade for necessary goods. It is likely that this mask was created some years later for this purpose. In the 20th century, Yup'ik mask had a profound influence on many renowned surrealist artists including, Max Ernst, Joan Miro, Leonora Carrington, Victor Brauner, and most notably Andre Breton who was an avid collector of Yup'ik masks. This fantastic anthropomorphic mask is carved of lighter wood and hand painted/ decorated with pigment. The mask seems to represent some sort of smiling, benevolent spirit or character. The mask is from a French collection. We were told that this mask, as well as others in the collection we have listed, was acquired originally in the 1950s-1960s in Alaska and the Yukon territory in Canada but as we have no way to verify or authenticate this. Please note we are listing the masks as decorative and not as actual tribal artifacts...

A fantastic and somewhat playful mask by the Yup'ik (Yupik) aboriginal, indigenous people of South-Western & South Central Alaska. The Yup'ik people, who are related to the Inuit peoples, have a long history of ceremonial mask making. Yup'ik masks were originally and specifically designed by Shamans and made to be worn by these spiritual leaders in Winter tribal dances and sacred ceremonies. Traditionally, the masks were destroyed or discarded after use in these ceremonies. Very few of these masks survived. After Christian contact in the late 19th century, masked dancing was suppressed and the tradition all but died out. As more outsiders settled in Alaska at the turn of the century, masks were made by the Yup'ik people to sell or trade for necessary goods. It is likely that this mask was created some years later for this purpose. In the 20th century, Yup'ik mask had a profound influence on many renowned surrealist artists including, Max Ernst, Joan Miro, Leonora Carrington, Victor Brauner, and most notably Andre Breton who was an avid collector of Yup'ik masks. This fantastic anthropomorphic mask is carved of lighter wood, hand painted and decorated with pigment, and held together with natural fiber. The mask seems to represent some sort of smiling, benevolent spirit or character with its four eyes, bird beak, and cat-like ears. The mask is from a French collection. We were told that this mask, as well as others in the collection we have listed, was acquired originally in the 1950s-1960s in Alaska and the Yukon territory in Canada but as we have no way to verify or authenticate this. Please note we are listing the masks as decorative and not as actual tribal artifacts...

A fantastic and somewhat grotesquely strange mask by the Yup'ik (Yupik) aboriginal, indigenous people of South-Western & South Central Alaska. The Yup'ik people, who are related to t...