#92 • "Albino Alligator" Woolly Mammoth Tusk Sculpture - Vitaliy Martynetz

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

High bid $2,300.00

Status: Sold

Category: Art

An extraordinary museum-quality sculpture entitled Albino Alligator, meticulously hand-carved from a single piece of prehistoric woolly mammoth tusk by noted Alaska-based artist Vitaliy Martynetz. Born in Chita, Siberia, Martynetz began his formal carving career at the age of twenty-two and spent more than twenty-five years refining his craft and teaching carving before relocating to Alaska in 1997. His highly detailed sculptures are admired by collectors for their realism, technical precision, and exceptional use of fossil material. This remarkable commissioned work depicts an albino alligator resting in a natural pose and demonstrates the artist's mastery of anatomy and texture. Every scale and contour has been painstakingly rendered, while the eyes are fashioned from genuine natural amber, lending the reptile a lifelike presence. Concealed within the body is a cleverly designed hidden compartment, seamlessly integrated into the sculpture without disrupting the animal's elegant form. The alligator itself measures approximately 20" x 5" x 2.5" and rests upon a beautifully sculpted and polished burl wood base measuring approximately 23" x 7" x 2.25". Accompanying the sculpture are photographs showing the piece in progress and reference images used by the artist, along with the original gold-sealed Certificate of Authenticity signed by Vitaliy Martynetz and notarized in the State of Alaska in September 2011. The certificate records an insured value of $20,000. Combining extraordinary realism, technical sophistication, and documented provenance, this one-of-a-kind masterpiece represents an exceptional example of contemporary mammoth tusk.