#22 • Monumental NW Coast Bear Mask - Ray J. Watkins

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

High bid $1,500.00

Status: Sold

Category: Ethnographic Objects

A monumental polychrome Tlingit bear mask signed en verso by Alaska artist Ray J. Watkins (b.1951) of Juneau, displaying exceptional scale, bold sculptural form, and outstanding visual presence. Executed in the traditional Northwest Coast style for which Watkins is best known, the mask depicts a powerful bear with a turquoise-painted face, sweeping black formline brows, inset abalone shell nostrils, and an expressive red mouth revealing individually carved teeth and prominent canines. Particularly distinctive are the miniature human faces incorporated into each ear, a classic Northwest Coast design element reinforcing the close relationship between human and animal identities within Tlingit visual tradition. A natural fur ruff frames the perimeter of the mask and is accented by an additional tuft above the forehead, creating dramatic texture and contrast against the carefully balanced painted surfaces. Measuring approximately 12.5 inches wide by 7 inches deep by 18.5 inches high, the present example is remarkable for both its impressive scale and commanding sculptural presence. Ray J. Watkins began studying Northwest Coast carving in 1978 and has become one of Southeast Alaska's most respected artists, educators, and cultural practitioners. Adopted into the Raven Sockeye Clan of Haines, he has taught Northwest Coast carving for the University of Alaska Southeast, the Sealaska Heritage Institute, and the Goldbelt Heritage Foundation, helping to mentor a new generation of Native artists. His work is recognized for its disciplined adherence to traditional Northwest Coast formline design and includes masks, rattles, frontlets, and other ceremonial-inspired carvings. Examples are represented in both public and private collections, including the Juneau-Douglas City Museum and the Rasmuson Foundation Art Collection. The present mask exemplifies Watkins' mature style at its most ambitious, combining exceptional scale with confident carving, balanced formline composition, and vibrant polychrome surface. Monumental masks of this caliber represent the upper tier of the artist's output and are seldom encountered, offering collectors an outstanding opportunity to acquire a significant work by an influential contemporary Alaska Native artist and educator whose contributions extend well beyond his own carving practice.