Description:

Mary Seppilu Hand Carved Scrimshaw Walrus Tusk Ivory Alaskan Dog Sled Team Sculpture. Features a Musher with a team of seven dogs on the top, carved and painted orcas and dolphins on the sides. There are also seven walrus teeth hanging from Baleen poles. Signed Mary Seppilu Savoonga, Alaska on the underside. Net Weight: 969 grams | Keywords: Native American, Inuit, Collectible; Ref: BD1133

  • Provenance: Mary Seppilu, is/was a highly respected Siberian Yupik artist born on May 16, 1937, in Savoonga, Alaska, a village on St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea between Nome, Alaska, and Russia’s Chukotsk Peninsula. Raised in a culture deeply rooted in family, tradition, and subsistence hunting, Mary learned to carve ivory by watching her mother, Helen Pungowiyi, create walrus ivory birds and figurines. She later refined these skills into her own distinctive style. After marrying David Seppilu and raising five children in Savoonga, the couple began producing dog sled team carvings on walrus ivory tusks obtained through subsistence hunting. The dogs are carved from fossil walrus ivory and woolly mammoth ivory recovered during the summer months, with coloration influenced by minerals absorbed over hundreds of years, allowing Mary to create richly varied, playful figures, each with its own personality. Additional materials used in her work include whalebone, new walrus ivory, bleached sealskin, furs, and baleen. Mary Seppilu’s carvings are highly valued for their meticulous sculpting, expressive individuality, and detailed scrimshaw storytelling, through which she shared daily Siberian Yupik life, stating, “I try to tell people through my carving how Siberian Yupik people really live!” Since the passing of her husband in 2008, Mary has carved only in limited quantities, making her dog sled carvings increasingly rare and highly prized by collectors.
  • Dimensions: 20.5in x 10in
  • Medium: Wood
  • Notes: Please check your local and state laws to make sure that Walrus Ivory is legal to purchase and import into your state. Walrus ivory sales are illegal in states with broad ivory bans like California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Washington, which prohibit the sale of most ivory, including walrus ivory. Any bidders from these states listed above is against the law. Any winning bidder who bids with the expectation that the Ivory is to be shipped to one of the listed states above will be required to pay a 25% restocking fee and hammer-prices associated with this lot; the item(s) will NOT BE shipped and deemed abandoned.
  • Condition: This piece is in great condition, with minimal signs of wear commensurate with age. Visible glue residue underneath applied items. Please review the photos for details and condition.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, COD (cash on delivery), Discover, MasterCard, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

LOCAL PICK-UP INFORMATION:
Monday through Wednesday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
LOCATION: 15210 N 99th Ave Sun City, AZ 85351
CROSS STREET: (Located at the NW Corner of 99th Ave and Greenway Rd)

LOCAL PICK UP - ARIZONA FIREARMS BUYERS
Arizona residents MUST pick-up in person at Bradford's Auction Gallery with a scheduled date of pick up. Details and information will be included on the winning bidders invoice. Any local Arizona Buyer of Post 1898 firearms MUST complete all necessary registration forms at Bradford's Auction Gallery. Local Buyers MUST have a Valid ARIZONA ID with Current Physical Address. If your Arizona ID does not reflect your current address you MUST provide us with a secondary form of ID that contains your correct address. Arizona Gun Dealers must have a signed copy of their Federal Firearms License in order to accept delivery of modern weapons. ANY DENIED BACKGROUND CHECK WILL RESULT IN A REFUND MINUS A 25% RESTOCKING FEE.

OUT OF TOWN SHIPPING:
For out of town buyers, once we have received your payment your purchase will be turned over to Westside Mail Center our exclusive shipping provider. Westside Mail Center will proactively reach out to you to arrange packing, shipping and insurance.

OUT OF TOWN SHIPPING FIREARMS BUYERS:
Shipping for Out-of-State Buyers must be done through our 3rd Party Shipper Westside Mail Center. All firearms Post 1898 must be shipped to a valid holder of a Federal Firearms License on ALL Modern Weapons. The full cost of shipping and packing will be at the winning bidders / buyers expense. It is your responsibility to provide Westside Mail Center with the FFL dealer of your choice and they are responsible for sending the 3rd party shipper a copy of their FFL information. FIREARMS UNABLE TO BE SHIPPED TO YOUR STATE WILL RESULT IN A REFUND MINUS A 25% RESTOCKING FEE AND SHIPPING COSTS IF APPLICABLE.

We've Partnered with Westside Mail Center for all of your auction shipping needs. They offer FedEx, DHL, UPS and USPS services for most parcels. For those larger items, Packing, Shipping, Crating & Freight services are available. For questions related to shipping please feel free to contact them directly for shipping questions or quotes.

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Note: For fastest and best results on shipping, we recommend using Westside Mail Center as your shipper, but are happy to meet with your 3rd party shipper of choice if you prefer to use a shipper other than Westside Mail Center. All packing and shipping from any company besides Westside Mail Center must be arranged and coordinated by the winning bidder / buyer within 5 days from the date of the sale or an additional storage surcharge could apply.

All fees and costs associated with shipping are separate from the hammer price (winning bid), buyer's premium and sales taxes. The winning bidder / buyer is solely responsible for the shipping. Bradford's can assist the winning bidder / buyer by arranging shipping and insurance through our preferred shipper. The winning bidder / buyer has the right to arrange their own shipping with a 3rd party shipper at their own expense. Bradford's Auction Gallery reserves the right to ship parcels via our own in-house shipping methods, based on actual weight or dimensional weight (whichever is greater).

The designated 3rd party shipper will ship to the address provided on the winning bidder / buyers invoice. It is the winning bidder / buyers responsibility to communicate with the shipper and provide any specific shipping requirements, address information or details that will ensure proper delivery.

The winning bidder is responsible for understanding the import fees and import laws of their respective province/state/country. It is also the bidder's responsibility to obtain any and all import documentation (import/export licenses, certificates or other documentation) prior to bidding.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
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$100 $199 $10
$200 $999 $20
$1,000 $4,999 $50
$5,000 $9,999 $100
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