Elegant Inuit Carved Stone Polar Bear lidded box “Tommy Ruthven

“Tommy Ruthven

In part it is the completely painterly paint job that makes it great--looking quite like an abstract expressionist painting but at the same time very cow like

though there is a bit of thread loss on the G and B

and then what looks like "aet" rather than "age" before 13

which I think give the piece a nice patina of age and use

Elegant Inuit Carved Stone Polar Bear lidded box “Tommy RuthvenAnother beautifully minimal Inuit carving, this one reminding me some of the work of Andy Miki (1918 1983; Arviat) in its graceful lines and elongated head (I've included one photo for reference) as well as in the light gray stone. It also shares a spirit I think with small 19th century Inuit tusk carved amulets from the Bering Sea area. To me it really feels as if walking very softly over ice, very gentle, and with a lovely, serene presence. 4 7 16"