#37 • A Rare Juvenile Polar Bear Rug

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

High bid $8,750.00

Status: Sold

Category: Taxidermy

An exceptional juvenile polar bear taxidermy rug featuring a beautifully preserved thick white coat, fully dimensional open-mouth head mount with detailed glass eyes and sculpted facial features, and intact claws along each paw. The underside retains its original green fabric backing with a light-colored ruffled felt border and an original woven Jonas Bros. label from Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1908, Jonas Bros. was among the most respected and influential taxidermy firms in North America, producing museum-quality mounts and trophies for leading museums, institutions, sportsmen, and collectors throughout the twentieth century. Accompanied by an extensive collection of signed estate provenance documents and historical research tracing ownership to Dr. Max C. Brewer, Director of the U.S. Naval Arctic Research Laboratory, and later the Estate of Mary Louise Brewer. The estate letter states that the specimen was acquired by Dr. Brewer during his various residences in Barrow, Alaska, between September 1950 and October 1954 and between August 1956 and July 1971, and further records the family's recollection that the juvenile bear was taken in defense of life and/or property at the Arctic Research Laboratory Ice Station II (ARLIS II), a U.S. Navy scientific ice station operating from May 1961 until May 1965. Included historical research identifies ARLIS II as a floating Arctic research station established on an ice island in the Arctic Ocean and abandoned after the ice island broke apart near Greenland in 1965. The research further cites U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service records and Arctic Research Laboratory monthly progress reports documenting juvenile polar bears taken in defense of life and property during the station's occupation, including a two-year-old female on November 27, 1961, a young polar bear on July 13, 1962, and a two-year-old female on March 20, 1963. While the exact date of harvest is unknown, the accompanying provenance attributes the specimen to ARLIS II and confirms its acquisition by Dr. Brewer during his tenure directing Arctic research operations in Barrow. The provenance further documents transfer of the specimen to Mary Louise Brewer upon Dr. Brewer's death in September 2012 and its subsequent descent through the Brewer Estate. As documented, the procurement predates the enactment of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and the accompanying provenance affirms the family's understanding that the specimen may be lawfully possessed, transferred, and sold within the United States. Accompanied by copies of the signed estate provenance letters and supporting ARLIS II historical research. Measures approximately 57 x 58 inches. Note Regarding Shipping Services: This item is exceptionally large and/or heavy, and may require custom boxing or crating depending on the intended destination and available carrier services. For more information prior to bidding, please email us at Shipping@AlaskaPremierAuctions.com or call/text us at 907.570.7050.