Napkin Holder Depicting Blue Jays, c. 1960
Yup'ik Culture
walrus Ivory, scrimshaw design
1 1/2” high x 2” long x 1 1/8” deep
The history of Inuit (Yup'ik and Inupiaq) tourist items began as early as the 16th century, where utlitarian items like carvings because goods for sale. The trade grew in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with small ivory carvings of animals and daily life being sold to fisherman, whalers and adventurers.
In the 1940s and 50s, walrus ivory, soapstone, and wood carving developed with community encouragement, creating a new market for art that continues today.
