Ah-ha! I have two expert authenticators here in the north...though inconvenient at times, on days like today they come in handy.
Let me explain:
I finally broke. You've seen it in my other posts. I've started to buy knick-knacks here and there. I generally don't like to amass too much because it's just another thing to store if there's no place for it the next time I move. I can justify the $179 I spent on a vacuum...I live in a carpeted house. But carvings? Jewelry, in my eyes, is ok...it's easy to take anywhere. If it looks nice...intriguing...it's perfect. It's something that carries a memory.
Pang residents generally get visitors trying to sell caribou antler carvings, wall hangings, or tiny little replicas of traditional clothing (the 'furry dice' equivalent). Anyway, a guy just came to my door - a guy I'm sure anyone in Pang would know. He shows up quite regularly, but I never buy anything. Most of the stuff is 'run-of-the-mill' or too rich for my blood. Today he was offering a great carving for a reasonable - even cheap - price. With my newly found cash I received proctoring a test I thought, "Why not?"
Looking closely, I could see that the colouring seemed off. As a southerner, I think 'caribou antler' and I immediately match it to the ivory/cream section of the artist's palette. Lesson to me. It's not. Sure, most of it is, but there are always shades and layers of colour. I thought this one looked a bit too green, but the details were so fine I decided I didn't really care what it was made of...a few Arctic char, a beluga, a narwhale, a seal, a qamutik, and a fantastic portrait of an Inuk hunter... It's beautiful. I won't mention what it actually is because I haven't decided if it will be a gift or something that will adorn part of my rapidly disappearing shelf-space.
Well, I had made my decision and, as I placed it on my chair to count out the correct amount of money, the dogs swarmed in. Now, I'm sure there's a difference between a thigh bone and an antler, but the dogs seem to like these horns just as much. It's real - green shades'n'all.
Like I said...two real, live, furry, and cute authenticators of my very own!
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