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Northwest Coast Don Lelooska Articulated Mask 1959

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:25.00 USD Estimated At:5,000.00 - 10,000.00 USD
Northwest Coast Don Lelooska Articulated Mask 1959
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This is an extraordinary articulated mask from renowned master carver Don Lelooska (Kwakwaka'wakw, 1933-1996) a Northwest Coast American Indian and dating to 1959. The piece shows a totem Orca or Killer Whale figure and is completely articulated with the user being able to move the tail, mouth, tail, and two fins all with strings while being worn. The piece is completely hand-carved by Don Lelooska in 1959 and was on display at Sundog Gallery in Bozeman, Montana where it was priced at $12,500. Provenance: From the renowned Sundog Fine Art Bozeman, Montana collection and collected by Bruce VanLandingham. Bruce VanLandingham was a pillar in the American Indian collecting community and a respected expert. Along with being an avid collector Bruce also was the sole owner of Sundog Fine Art Gallery in Bozeman which was both part museum and gallery. Don Lelooska (also known as Don Smith), born in 1933, is considered to be the master of all Northwest Coast wood sculptor carvers with his work being highly prized by collectors and being well respected in the American Indian community, as he was given the title Chief Lelooska “He Who Cuts Against Wood with a Knife”. His works have been offered at some of the most prestigious houses in the world like Heritage, Cowan’s, Skinner’s, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, and Cisco’s Gallery with sales prices of $13,000 in 2019, $8,300 in 2017, $20,000 in 2019. The piece comes with the original collection gallery tag from Sundog in Bozeman which is marked, “Don Lelooska Hidatsa, 1959 $12,500 Tagged BV0801 Sundog Fine Art”. The mask shows fine well-preserved museum quality condition showing all original period correct paint and the original grass fringe. The piece is displayed on a custom fabricated museum stand. On the stand the mask measures overall 66 inches high. The mask itself measures 32 inches high with fin by 37 inches wide by 37 inches long.