Alaskan Inupiaq Whale Baleen Basket w/ Walrus Ivory

Native American, Northwestern United States, Alaska, Inupiaq / Inupiat, ca. mid to late 20th century CE. A whale baleen basket handwoven with a matching lid and decorated with walrus ivory carved into a whale tail fluke as the handle. The ivory disc on the underside is initialed "IC" with other indiscernible markings. The ivory pieces are not only ornamentation but also hold the starting strips in place while making the first stitches, a coiling method is used to sew the bands together. Baleen is the keratinous mouth plates inside certain species of whales, used to filter krill from the water, and it is a flexible material that has been traditionally used for all sorts of tools and vessels. As a weaving / basketry material, baleen is a relatively recent development; purportedly the first baleen woven basket was made sometime around 1914 and 1918, shortly after commercial whaling ended- basketry became a source of income for Native people and a new artform. Size: 3.75" Diameter x 3.5" H (9.5 cm x 8.9 cm) This is an ESA exempt piece of walrus ivory and cannot be sold internationally or to anyone residing in the states of California, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Washington. Parts from certain animal species may require an additional license upon import into another country due to legislation relating to endangered species and environmental conservation. If you are not sure whether CITES rules apply to your item, please see the CITES Appendices. Item # 179767

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