Featured Cedar Bowl with Marine Hunting Art?; Most Uncommon

6" diameter, ~2 1/4" high, ~3 oz. I think it's Alaskan, an' it would have been my 1st choice to post it in Tribal Art...but they're not tribes in the ordinary sense of that term, as far as I know.

A few of the odd things: it's not clear what the two creatures are...or whether the small one is part of a hunt (as a float), or? Then, the large one has some internals depicted; ribs & spine, a stomach an' the hint of an intestinal tract. Note the overlarge eye, a tongue, an' spikes representing nostrils. Both of them have well defined twin flippers, rather than flukes as they would if they were whales. Also, what does the tapered circular feature with 29 alternating barbs an' a tri-split end signify?

The interior finish is uneven, heavy & glossy in places, thin & matte in others; the exterior is, similarly, an almost indifferently applied ochre wash up to about the rim-bead, then a heavier, opaque burnt-umber paint continuing into the interior rim.

I feel like I'm missing something important with this art, but just cannot connect to it. Please help, if you can. Thanks for lookin'!

 

nice bowl my first thought was Inuit, but I would wait for @komokwa or @all_fakes to come along.
here is a similar one that sold in 2020, a bit bigger than yours, they say a seal, but I have no idea if the information is correct

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/old-bering-sea-eskimo-painted-food-bowl-204-c-2864e3db37#

 

I'm confused. You have 1 bowl, but you have 2 creatures?

 

Oh! You're calling the little thing connected by a line another seal?

 

Yes...they seem to be very similar. No way for me to tell if the smaller one is alive.

 

That line between them (whatever they are) is rather odd too. Particularly the shorter cross line.

 

Thank you, cxgirl...a most helpful response! Yupik or Inuit narrows the search a whole lot! I didn't think mine was that old. I'm grateful!

 

Yes...an' in the plate in cxgirl's link, the same is shown. It has some cultural significance...but what?

 

Good question. Maybe @all_fakes knows or has a source he might include in the conversation.

 

don't need me here...... @cxgirl , got it all covered....

Alaskan Eskimo bowl...
a harpooned seal tethered to a seal float..


,

 

bowl of seal meat jerky ..

 

Reminds me of Norval Morriseau's art a bit.

 

Yes, indeed! I had not heard of his work, but a brief look-around shows several very similar themes...Thanks!

 

I'll bet that's fat an' juicy...Yum!

 

I have nothing to add...this would be from farther north than my core area of Northwest Coast Native (formline) art -

 

Thank you for lookin' in!

 

mine too....but I know just enuf to be dangerous !!
&.....I've bought and sold those.....

 

similar yes,,,,but that's where it ends..