#76 • Jerome K. Saclamana “Whale Shaman” Walrus Ivory Drummer Sculpture, 3 Inches

Part of October 2026 Curiosities Auction (timed auction by Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals)

High bid $10.00

Status: Available

Bidding closes Oct 25, 2026 4:28 PM AKDT

Category: Ethnographic Objects

Whale Shaman, a compact and expressive walrus ivory sculpture by Iñupiaq carver Jerome K. Saclamana (b. 1963), originally from King Island, Alaska. A human drummer merges with a whale, the round drum rising beside the face while the whale’s eye and finely incised mouth emerge along the lower body. Warm brown mineral coloration and exposed, textured inner dentine enrich the polished ivory, with dark baleen dot inlays defining the eyes. Signed and titled on the underside. The human-and-whale transformation is a recurring subject in Saclamana’s work, represented by another Whale Shaman exhibited in QCC Art Gallery’s Carving Life: Walrus Ivory Carvings from the Bering Sea in 2017–2018. Approximately 2.25" x 1.25" x 3" tall.