Posted by I’m still researching and listing items from that big private pick (which entailed three separate trips!) and I’ll be returning on Monday morning one last time to collect three creepy religious baby figurines that I had left behind. And that will be that. But some items from this pick have been so unique that pricing them has been difficult.
Here are some of my recent conundrums…
This small carved vegetable ivory head. It came with a very broken body so I decide to sell just the head! (An accompanying note said is was from Manila 1898, acquired during the war.) Will anyone want this? I think so–it’s perfect for a little curio display. But how to price it? In the end I settled on $24–it’s only a remnant but it has age, provenance and quirkiness.
This handmade wood night-time navigational tool was intriguing and came with a 1976 signed booklet by Allan Chapman.
Now it turns Allan Chapman (that’s Dr. Allan Chapman) is a noted British historian of science and big in astronomy circles. How cool is that?! But this particular piece designed by him doesn’t seem to exist. I’ve researched it using many phrase combinations, nothing similar comes up. I’ve tried over a period of days. Honestly it drove me a little nuts. Is this the only one in existence? How can that be? In the end I set a price of $125. Though just wood and only vintage, it’s rare, designed by a noted astronomer and comes with a booklet signed by him.
These antique Alaskan woven/stitched grass socks were another tough one. All the ones I could find online were in museums! Nothing currently for sale. Nothing on Worthpoint. So I had to take their craftsmanship, provenance, condition (very good) and scarcity and think about the well-heeled collector who would appreciate them.
Haven’t made any progress with this late 18th century figurine but I just might hold off and put her/him? out for Christmas.
Hope all is well in your neck of the woods. As I write this our furnace is finally being fixed and what a relief it will be to have heat in the house!
Happy hunting,
Karen
Hunting for Vintage 
Hello! I’m a member of an Inuit art Facebook group and I posted a pic of your grass shoes, in an effort to get more information for you about them. There were a number of responses. One person suggested contacting the Alutiq Museum. It was also suggested searching “Alutiq” and “Sugpiaq” grass socks. Another said they may be “Yupic from the Bethel/Bristol Bay region and were worn under fur mukluks for insulation.” Another suggested they were from the Kodiak region. Another told me he had seen a Yupik woman in Kwigillinok who still creates them, and added photos, which you might like to see! Another said to try the Bethel Alaska Cultural Center. I hope this information helps you in your search for more information. Kathryn
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Thank you Kathryn. This was so kind of you. I definitely know they are from St. Michael, Alaska, and were used as boot liners (as noted on the little handwritten tag), but I haven’t tried to track down tribal affiliations so you’ve given me several to research. Many thanks. Karen
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You are most welcome, Karen! If I learn more, I’ll be sure to let you know. Kathryn
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That “nocturnal” is definitely intriguing! Depending on how much effort you want to put into this, you might email the general info address at the History of Science Museum at the University of Oxford. They have a number of nocturnals from the 15th through 17th centuries in their collections and at least one of Chapman’s mss on file. Obviously this is one he made himself, so it really may be the only one – but perhaps in the spirit of Knowledge and Research, they might respond?
What an interesting life the owner of all these items must have led!
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Thanks Lisa. Interesting info. Actually the package this nocturnal was stored in had the note “From the Center for Medieval & Renaissance Studies, Oxford, England, Queen St.” I have thought about trying to contact them, but sadly in the past whenever I’ve reached out to museums, universities or other authorities on items, I rarely hear back. Still I did enjoy learning about Dr. Chapman who is still alive and seems like an interesting fellow!
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