Polar Bear (or Spirit Bear) Carving, Stan Hill, Mohawk, NY, Moose Antler, 1997 For Sale

Polar Bear or Spirit Bear Carving by Stan Hill, Mohawk, of Grand Island, New York The bear is made of moose antler and sits on a wood base. The bear\'s surface is a little rough. It is not as smooth as many of Stan Hill\'s pieces. Perhaps this is a deterioration of the antler or it may not have been buffed/polished as smooth to begin with. It is very finely designed and crafted, as you can see in the photos. The bear\'s face, claws, and shape are incredibly realistic. It looks like a Polar Bear, but it also somewhat resembles a Spirit Bear.The entire piece is about 2 inches tall, including the base.The bear (not including the wooden base) is approximately 3.5 inches long, 1 inch wide and 1.5 inches tall. The wood base is a little more than a half inch high. The base is wider at the bottom and smaller at the top. The bottom of the wood base is 4.5 inches long and 3.25 inches wide. The top of the wood base is about 3.75 inches long by 2.5 inches wide. There are water marks and surface wear on the wood base.STAN HILL 1921-2003, was a member of the turtle clan of the Mohawk tribe. Stan spent 33 years of his life as an iron worker before becoming a well known and respected bone carver of international acclaim, winning hundreds of awards in recognition of his artistic achievement. His carvings and jewelry are found in museums and private collections around the world. Sadly, Stan passed away in 2003 at the age of 82. This bear is signed Stan Hill, 97.Purchased from Stan Hill at the Rankokas Juried Native American Arts Festival, NJ. At that time, the price was $400.00. That price sticker is still on the bottom.This piece has no chips or cracks.Thanks for looking over my listing.