#39 • Fantastic & Large Inupiaq Baleen Basket w/ Carved Walrus Finial - Adam R. Tooyak

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

High bid $3,200.00

Status: Sold

Category: Ethnographic Objects

A remarkable and unusually large Inupiaq baleen basket by Adam R. Tooyak of Point Hope, Alaska, representing an exceptional display of technical mastery in one of Alaska's most demanding art forms. Tightly coiled from rich black baleen with subtle natural variegation, the basket is executed in an uncommon square form with gently rounded corners and remarkably straight, even walls. The basket's substantial size and precise construction testify to the immense labor and skill required to create such a vessel. The true highlight of the piece is its extraordinary lid finial—a massive, fully sculptural walrus carved from a single section of walrus tusk. Unlike the small finials commonly encountered on baleen baskets, this impressive three-dimensional carving depicts the animal in its entirety, complete with scrimshawed whiskers and facial details, dark eyes, and polished tusks. Mounted atop a rectangular walrus tusk charger signed by the artist, the finial itself is of a scale rarely encountered and imparts a commanding sculptural presence to the basket. Indeed, examples with such a large and elaborate finial are exceptionally uncommon, and this is among the most impressive encountered. Baleen basket weaving survives today through only a handful of master artists from communities such as Point Hope, Utqiaġvik, Kivalina, and Kotzebue. The difficulty of splitting, shaping, and tightly coiling baleen into a vessel of this size and form cannot be overstated. Combined with the monumental full-body walrus finial, the result is a work that transcends utilitarian basketry and approaches sculpture in both scale and visual impact. Displaying outstanding craftsmanship, exceptional proportions, and an unusually ambitious sculptural element, this beautiful example measures approximately 7.5" x 6.5" x 5.5" tall.