I came upon a source of several nice vintage Inuit stone carvings of animals this week--this owl is the first of several I will be listing. As with many of my favorite Inuit pieces, it is the conveyance of great expressiveness through minimal means that I think makes this owl especially beautiful, and the green-gray stone with dark veins is just right. Great spare form (this owl feels rather Brutalist to me in the best of ways), with just a suggestion of a cock of the head from how its body leans slightly, with just a very few incised details for the eyes, wings and tail feathers. Great weight and feel in the hand, and excellent presence.
3 1/2" t x 2 3/4" w x 2 3/4" d and in very good condition. With what appears to be a disk number carved in the underside along with a sticker, perhaps an accession number.