#18 • Walrus Tusk & Baleen Three-Masted Ship Model - James Aningayou

Part of June 2026 Premier Auction (live auction by Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals)

High bid $2,500.00

Status: Sold

Category: Ethnographic Objects

A remarkably detailed three-masted barquentine model by Yup'ik artist James Aningayou (b.1983) of Gambell, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, masterfully constructed from walrus tusk, baleen, and sinew. The elegant vessel features a finely proportioned hull formed from polished tusk sections accented with dark baleen strakes, while baleen is skillfully employed for the masts, spars, railings, and intricate standing and running rigging. The sailing plan is equally impressive, with multiple square-rigged walrus tusk sails on the foremast complemented by fore-and-aft sails on the mainmast and mizzenmast, creating the classic profile of a nineteenth-century barquentine. Delicate deck structures, individually mounted sails, bowsprit rigging, and meticulously spaced railings demonstrate a level of craftsmanship that rewards close inspection, with each component carefully balanced to produce a refined and highly realistic miniature vessel. The striking contrast between the creamy white walrus tusk and deep black baleen enhances every architectural element of the ship, making this one of the finer Arctic maritime models encountered. Signed on the underside. Measures approximately 9.5" x 3" x 6" tall.