Seal or penguin...or other...soapstone carving...

It has a number...and I think a name, inscribed on the bottom. Any help ID'ing is much appreciated. Is this a seal? Or a bird? Eating a fish?? It's about 3" head to tail. Thanks for your help!

~

 

Upon further review - it's definitely signed "Johnny" - then possibly something else after that...

 

I see wings,maybe a pelican?

 

Puffin?

 

My first thought was seal. It's shaped like a seal.

 

I see webbed feet and wings.

 

baby bird of some sort.....

 

Thanks for all the replies and ideas everyone!

 

Can it be assumed it's Inuit?

 

Definitely Inuit and it is indeed a bird.

 

This site has some Inuit artists listed by name so you might check there.

https://www.inuitsculptures.com/pages/inuit-artists-browse-by-name

These are the John/Johnny names I found there.

 

This listing has a clearly written Johnny JNR and I wonder if that's what yours has. I "think" I see a J?? after Johnny.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Early-Povu...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

www.katilvik.com is a much better website for research. While I understand and appreciate the desire to identify the artist, in this particular case being able to properly identify the artist would not increase the value.

 

Thank you Mark - very much appreciate your input. I won't spend too much more time searching out which "Johnny" made this. I know it's Inuit, and a bird - and made by an artist named Johnny - and I realize it's not a top of the line piece - it will be joining my small menagerie sitting on top of my stereo Also thank you to everyone else for their input!

 

I too have a small collection. Nice to know of fellow collectors.