#34 • An Early Nunivak Island Spirit Wheel

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

High bid $375.00

Status: Sold

Category: Ethnographic Objects

Finely carved Nunivak Island Yup'ik spirit wheel, circa 1930s–40s, centered by an expressive anthropomorphic face with open mouth, visible teeth, drilled nostrils, and incised black pigment details. The face is enclosed within two concentric bentwood hoops secured with traditional sinew lashings and surrounded by carved and natural elements including feathers, stylized paddles or flippers, a carved human hand, and additional symbolic attachments that create a dynamic radial composition. Spirit wheels of this form are among the most recognizable artistic expressions of Nunivak Island carving, distinguished by their layered construction and radiating arrangements of carved and natural elements surrounding a central spirit figure. The present example retains a particularly complete composition with rich surface patina, original painted details, and exceptional visual presence. Measures approximately 21 inches in diameter by 20 inches in height.