This is an authentic circa 1900 Eskimo Inuit sealskin covered wood frame model kayak with hunter figure. The piece consist of an intricate and true to scale wood frame being completely covered in sealskin or seal skin rawhide and sewn with both trade thread and sinew. The kayak is further adorned with straps of rawhide which hold miniature carved wooden paddle, staff, wrapping of sinew fishing rope and two bone amulet scrimshaw carvings or weights. The human effigy figure has only half a body which is constructed from sealskin or seal skin fur with rawhide face having black scrimshaw markings, looped hands to hold the paddle and a tie of sinew rawhide with a single lead fishing weight at the end. Each end has a unique feature, only seen on other circa 19th to early 20th Century examples, such as the whale mouth like front and rutter shaped end. This example is of larger size and higher detail than any other example we have ever brought to sale and is truly a price. Very similar the piece from the Valentine Pasvolsky Collection soldy by Heritage Auctions in 2013 for $5,312.50. Provenance: From the renowned Sundog Fine Art Bozeman, Montana collection 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 was also the sole owner of Sundog Fine Art Gallery in Bozeman, which was both part museum and gallery, this piece is directly from the collection. The kayak measures overall 21 1/8”L by 4”W and approximately 5”H when the hunter figure is present and 2 7/8”H when he is not. The hunter is removable. Museum collection number of E1025.