Leonard Savage Walrus Tusk Bear - Top Heavy

When I went camping in Alaska in 2013, I purchased this Leonard Savage Carving of a Bear with a Salmon. He carves in Walrus Tusk.
Leonard Savage – Alaska Best Shopping
It is 2 inches high. From the beginning, there were problems. The bear kept spitting the salmon out. I didn't want to glue it in, so he kept spitting. Then the bear started toppling over. I would find bear and fish is various positions every morning. Finally, I propped him up against a bear made of fossilized walrus tusk.

I am looking for a permanent solution. The problem with gluing the Leonard Savage bear to a larger base is that it will cover up his signature, which is in the dead middle of the bottom. I hate to alter his original vision, but the bear is very uncooperative when it comes to standing up and keeping his fish in his mouth. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Pictures are hard because it is white and shiny.

 

Could you try a couple of dabs of this stuff to keep him standing up? https://www.amazon.com/Blu-Tack-S050Q-Reusable-Adhesive-75g/dp/B001FGLX72

Is it possible to use a tiny piece of a toothpick as a shim to keep the salmon tighter?

 

Certainly I could try that. I will order some. I think if he is more secure then he will stop spitting his fish out. Unfortunately, there is a very tight fit and I have to fiddle with it just to get it into his mouth. Actually, his fish is upside down in the picture. He kept spitting it out while I was taking the pictures, so I balanced it there

 

You can probably find Blu Tack at your local Walmart. I use tiny bits of it to keep plates from 'rolling' on glass shelves. Does the job, doesn't stain, easy to remove.

 

Okay then. I was concerned it wasn't strong enough to hold his weight.

 

Just be a bit careful with blu-tack. The stuff we have in the UK you can’t use on plastered walls as it leaves a grease mark that is permanent. I don’t know how porous walrus tusk is but worth googling alternatives that maybe are used in museums etc to stabilise items.
How about finding him a suitable size rock to lean over as I can see how top heavy he is.

 

Something like this?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Collectors-Museum-Putty-Improved-Version/dp/B07QDBFMT8
This is not a recommendation- I know nothing about it and you’d need to research. Expensive too!. Think this is a randomly expensive listing though.
There’s something called Quake hold too.

 

Maybe make a wedge-shaped stand that will tilt the figure back a bit.

 

That's my thought. A nice piece of forked wood, or if you can find it, clear Perspex. Maybe cannibalise and adapt a mini plate stand?

 

Oh, hang on. Why not one of those doll stands? The sort that have arms that clutch the doll round the waist.

 

OOh. Or a nice piece of cullet.

 

Thanks for the advice. I certainly don't want to stain him, and a tusk is a tooth. Teeth are easy to stain. I have museum wax, but my displays are usually pretty mobile, as new things come in and older things go into other places. Also dust creeps in everywhere even behind closed cases. I have tons of rocks, which have been my main interest in collecting for years. The problem is that this is not the artist vision. I appreciate the thoughts. Please if you have other ideas please share them.

 

I live in earthquake country and have loads of this stuff. Thank you.

 

Aha. Like a small shim in front, so the signature would remain visible. Excellent idea.

 

Ok. Now we are cooking. Those are some great ideas!

 

Let me see if they have tiny ones of those - he is very small at 2 inches I like this!

 

Ohhh. INH. That's a terrific idea.

 

Cullet? Ok I had to look that up. I have to find a glass shop anyway to buy a new stopper for one of my art glass bottles. I could see if they have something that looks like ice. Then the signature could be seen. I could use @KSW's suggestion of museum wax to glue him on, so the original surface would not be damaged. Great idea.