Native American, Northwestern United States, Tlingit, ca. 1900s to 1920s CE. An impressive hand-carved miniature totem pole made from fossilized mammoth ivory. The totem illustrates the cosmological story of a great flood, at the top is a raven, then a trio of human figures that represent children of the Sun, an anthropomorphized face, and a frog at the base. While fossilized mammoth tusk is an unusual choice of material, Late Pleistocene / Late Upper Paleolithic cultures are known to have used the mammoth's tusk for tools, later cultures would re-discover the fossilized remains in the permafrost, and the Indigenous people of Siberia introduced mammoth carving to Western Europe. Mammoth tusks are very fracture resistant and similar enough in quality to the walrus ivory that Native American tribes more commonly used for this type of carving! Size: 6" L x 1" W (15.2 cm x 2.5 cm)

This is an ESA antique exempt piece of ivory and cannot be sold internationally or to anyone residing in the states of California, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Washington. We guarantee that the piece was made prior to 1972.

Provenance: private Manchester, Missouri, USA collection, acquired prior to 2000; ex-St. Louis, Missouri, USA estate

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

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#175549

Stable fissures and striations, pressure fissure radiating from base and chip to this area. Chips to high pointed areas including bird's beak. Fading to red pigments. Nice yellow patina to ivory.