Walrus Ivory Carvings & Oosik (Atka: price, floor, stores)

[HighlandLady]

Originally Posted by karibear

Here you go:

Scrimshaw Gallery

It's tricky, getting ivory and baleen to work with. If you aren't AK Native, you have to either buy it from a place that gets it from freehold lands [the fossil ivory, mastodon or mammoth], or get it already worked and signed by an AK Native artist - then, if you can bear to do it, you can cut it up and rework it. I have lots of scrap bits of ivory, and quite a bit of baleen as well, gotten under those guidelines. There's also some kind of seed called an ivory nut, which is vegetative and is about as hard as ivory for carving and scrimshaw. One does have to be very careful, because some ivory comes under CITES, and some under the Marine Animal Protection Act. Another good material for learning/practicing with is raw bones or antlers.

Thank you for the link, karibear...some beautiful pieces there!! I do not think that I could ever be artistic enough for something such as that or working on baleen and the like. Baleen in its simplest form is beautiful to me...but I am wary of places such as craigslist, etc from which to purchase. There was a gent who was selling baleen out of the back of his truck the other day, along the Parks highway and I wanted to stop...but we were on our way to fish and the husband was 'focused' The gentleman was gone when we returned.
The husband did find me a lovely piece of mammoth ivory worked into a whale's tail.

[Barkingowl]

Cori go visit Ft. Green on Palmer - Wasilla Hwy after Schwabenhof heading towards Palmer. Its on the left side of the road. They have a great selection of ivory carvings. Also check out Aurora Gallery & The Captain Cook Hotel stores on 5th Ave. in Anchorage.

Here are the pics of my pieces. The piece of selenite that they are on I had long before I got the bears.

I got the first one at the Native Heritage Center off Muldoon in Anchorage. They had native artisans selling their work as well as pieces from the center's gift shop.


I also picked up the stargazing polar bear there too.



The Happy Bears I found at Ft. Green in Wasilla.





The last picture has everyone in it & the beautiful piece of oosik that my wife bought me. She bought stargazing bear & the oosik at the Native Heritage Center.

[HighlandLady]

That is a beautiful piece of oosik - if one can say such a thing

I love the star-gazing polar bear, Barkley...and of course, your happy bears - although the lady bear does not look so happy

I will have to keep a look out for you for other happy bear pieces.

[Barkingowl]

Originally Posted by HighlandLady

I love the star-gazing polar bear, Barkley...and of course, your happy bears - although the lady bear does not look so happy

She has a look that suggests that she is not happy with man bear for finishing so quickly.

Originally Posted by HighlandLady

I will have to keep a look out for you for other happy bear pieces.

Thanks Cori! I did find one other one on Ebay with the bears reversed.

[HighlandLady]

Meaning the male wasn't so happy??

[Barkingowl]

Originally Posted by HighlandLady

Meaning the male wasn't so happy??

Um... no. I think the female may have been using a piece of oosik on him.

[karibear]

Originally Posted by Barkingowl

Um... no. I think the female may have been using a piece of oosik on him.

Years ago, on one of the talk shows like Letterman or Carson or someone like that, someone gave the host an oosik, a small one, as a gift. Host played around with it for awhile and put one end in his mouth pretending to smoke it. Then the giver leaned over and whispered to him just what it was, and he gagged and nearly threw it into the audience.

[Grannysroost]

Originally Posted by karibear

Years ago, on one of the talk shows like Letterman or Carson or someone like that, someone gave the host an oosik, a small one, as a gift. Host played around with it for awhile and put one end in his mouth pretending to smoke it. Then the giver leaned over and whispered to him just what it was, and he gagged and nearly threw it into the audience.

I think I would actually pay to see a rerun of that one

Yes Barkley - have to admit that's mighty good-lookin oosik, and I like the first two bears - not sure about the happy bear thing??? Like a dummy forgot to ask to see them when you's were here

[Barkingowl]

Kari I saw a lot of raw oosik & quite a few pieces that were finished with a Walrus head on one end & a polar bear head on the other end. I'll put up pics of the one that I got Martha at the Captain Cook as soon as it arrives.

[karibear]

Originally Posted by Barkingowl

Kari I saw a lot of raw oosik & quite a few pieces that were finished with a Walrus head on one end & a polar bear head on the other end. I'll put up pics of the one that I got Martha at the Captain Cook as soon as it arrives.

Couple I used to know back in Kodiak were on their honeymoon when I arrived, they went bear hunting on one of the smaller islands. He got the oosik from his bear [everyone referred to them as 'swizzle sticks' when they came from bears], said she'd shot off the one on her bear. All got a good laugh out of that and told him if she was that good a shot, he'd best mind his Ps and Qs. Must have, cuz they're still together.