#478 • Ike Kulowiyi Walrus Ivory Swimming Walrus with Baleen Base & Detached Tusk

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

High bid $5.00

Status: Available

Bidding closes Oct 25, 2026 6:46 PM AKDT

Category: Ethnographic Objects

A swimming walrus by St. Lawrence Island Yupik artist Ike Kulowiyi (b. 1954) of Savoonga, Alaska, carved in walrus ivory with a textured body, modeled flippers and eyes inlaid with mineralized walrus ivory irises and baleen pupils. Pale polished areas alternate with the ivory’s darker natural mottling. A curved ivory support rises from a glossy green-and-black baleen base, signed Ike Kulowiyi. The walrus has broken away from the support, and one tusk is detached. The loose tusk fragment shown is included. Dark longitudinal fissures run along the walrus’s back and the upright support; scratches and wear are present on the base. The walrus figure measures approximately 5.25" x 1.75" x 1.75" tall.