Bidspirit auction | 2 Carved Inuit Polar Bears

2 Carved Inuit Polar Bears - Group of two carved organic material polar bears. Including: One depicting an upright bear with fish in its mouth. Surmounted atop a base. Signed along the underside of the base ”Harleen Iyakitan, Gamball, AK.” One depicting a walking polar bear. Incised along the underside of the front paws; the left paw reading ”Lee, ” the right paw indistinctly marked, possibly ”Milet.” Provenance: Purchased from a Private Minnesota Collection, 1987; Private Collection. (Bear with Fish) Height: 4 1/2 in x width: 3 in x depth: 1 1/2 in. (Walking Bear) Height: 2 1/2 in x width: 6 in x depth: 1 3/4 in. Condition: To the walking bear, there are hairline cracks forming along the rear left haunch and along the torso. There are some possible fleabite chips along the extreme edges of the ears and the paws, possibly inherent to the medium and carving process. There is a loss to the left eye of the standing bear. There are no major breaks to the bear with fish; light wear to the pigment along the extreme edges of the paws.