Description:

Pauta Saila ᐸᐅᑕ ᓯᓚ, RCA (1916-2009), Kinngait (Cape Dorset)
ROARING BEAR, CA. 1968

stone, ivory
signed in syllabics
12.5 x 16 x 9.5 in — 31.8 x 40.6 x 24.1 cm

Estimate: $25,000—35,000 CAD

Important:
Many countries prohibit or restrict importation or exportation of property containing ivory, whale bone, sealskin, and/or products derived from other endangered or protected plant or animal species, and require special licenses or permits in order to import or export such property. It is the responsibility of the buyer to ensure that the item is properly and lawfully exported / imported. Please do not hesitate to contact one of our specialists for further details.

  • Provenance: Marion Scott Gallery, Vancouver, BC, 18 May 1979
    Private Collection, British Columbia
  • Dimensions: 12.5 x 16 x 9.5 in — 31.8 x 40.6 x 24.1 cm
  • Medium: stone, ivory
  • Notes: Accompanied by a copy of the original invoice from Marion Scott Gallery.

    Perhaps the consummate sculptor of bears, Pauta Saila found a delightful range of emotions and postures in the animal. Best known for bears delicately balanced on one leg, his subjects are often more winsome in character than fierce. His four-legged travelers, which evoke many of the characteristics which we associate most closely with the polar bear, are some of the least common in his oeuvre. Pauta, like his audience, clearly enjoyed the various nuances of his many iterations of the subject, explaining:

    I carve bears with longer and shorter necks, some that are fat or lean. They are in different positions because bears are always doing something. Sudden moves are possible with shorter necks. Polar bears are like human beings. If they are not distracted they can see better, even when they move fast…I like to carve what I feel, not merely what I see. It is the feeling that goes along with whatever one is doing. I also think about the material, the stone. I like to think how to carve it so that it does not break. I do what the Creator wants me to do, not merely by seeing but by feeling too. Carving is very different from making a photograph. I think and feel that the bear has a spirit to be put into the carving. But each person has different thoughts when he is carving.

    Today I am not worrying about making an amulet or a charm. I have to be pleased with what I am doing as does the person who is asking for the carving. I have to please myself and the buyer. At times I feel like keeping some of my carvings. In fact I have even said good-bye to some.
    [1]

    The present exceptional example is sculpted on a large scale, and dates circa 1968. Cut from hard Markham Bay stone, Pauta has polished the bear to bring out mottled green and subtle bronze-brown hues.

    [1] Bernadette Driscoll, Uumajut, Animal Imagery in Inuit Art (Winnipeg: The Winnipeg Art Gallery, 1985), 46.
  • Condition: Please contact the specialist for further condition information.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

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CITES WARNING:
Restrictions exist regarding the import and export of species protected under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). This includes but is not limited to items made of or containing bone (whalebone etc.), ivory, tortoise shell, seal skin, rhinoceros horn and any other animal part and is strictly controlled or forbidden by most countries. Please review your country's laws before bidding on pieces made of or containing these restricted items. It is the sole responsibility of the buyer to inquire about and obtain the proper permits for artwork purchased that may contain restricted materials, if such permit can be obtained. Please contact the department for further assistance. For more information please visit www.cites.org

November 20, 2025 6:00 PM EST
Toronto, ON, CA

Waddington's

You agree to pay a buyer’s premium, as outlined below, and any applicable taxes and shipping.
Buyer's Premium
$0 - $25,000:
25.00%
$25,001+:
22.00%

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
CA$0 CA$199 CA$10
CA$200 CA$499 CA$20
CA$500 CA$999 CA$50
CA$1,000 CA$1,999 CA$100
CA$2,000 CA$4,999 CA$200
CA$5,000 CA$9,999 CA$500
CA$10,000 CA$19,999 CA$1,000
CA$20,000 CA$49,999 CA$2,000
CA$50,000 CA$99,999 CA$5,000
CA$100,000 CA$299,999 CA$10,000
CA$300,000 CA$999,999 CA$25,000
CA$1,000,000 CA$1,999,999 CA$50,000
CA$2,000,000 CA$2,999,999 CA$100,000
CA$3,000,000 CA$4,999,999 CA$200,000
CA$5,000,000 + CA$300,000