Carving Item Number: 3202/8 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Walrus-shaped, almost flat but slightly concave piece of hollowed tusk. Overall the piece takes the outline of a walrus head with wide open mouth and protruding tusk, narrowing toward the rounded opposite end. Interior is concave and undecorated. Exterior is etched with a scene in which a sled pulled by 5 trotting dogs carries two people along with their packages. An igloo stands in the background to the right. The walrus’s whisker follicles and eye are also etched in. The etchings are filled with a dark paint or ink substance to make them more visible.
Narrative
Gigliotti was stationed in Frobisher Bay (now Iqaliut) as a meteorologist from 1952-54. During this period he acquired a small collection of Inuit objects from two Inuit men who were allowed to come out to the station. He was told the objects were from Cape Dorset.
Item History
- Made in Cape Dorset, Nunavut, Canada and Kinngait, Nunavut, Canada before 1954
- Collected in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada between 1952 and 1954
- Owned by Tom Gigliotti before October 1, 2016
- Received from Tom Gigliotti (Donor) on October 1, 2016
What
- Name
- Carving
- Identification Number
- 3202/8
- Type of Item
- carving
- Material
- walrus tusk ? or paint ?
- Overall
- height 1.0 cm, width 16.5 cm, depth 4.0 cm
Who
- Culture
- Inuit
- Previous Owner
- Tom Gigliotti
- Received from
- Tom Gigliotti (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Cape Dorset, Nunavut, Canada and Kinngait, Nunavut, Canada
- Collected in
- Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada
When
- Creation Date
- before 1954
- Collection Date
- between 1952 and 1954
- Ownership Date
- before October 1, 2016
- Acquisition Date
- on October 1, 2016
Other
- Item Classes
- carvings & sculpture
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 3202/0008