Inupiak or yup'ik anorak, Alaska - Lot 20

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Lot n° 20
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Estimation :
6000 - 8000 EUR
Inupiak or yup'ik anorak, Alaska - Lot 20
Inupiak or yup'ik anorak, Alaska Seal intestine, sinew Presumed late 19th century Provenance : - Private collection, Denmark - David Utzon-Franck Collection, Denmark Native communities in the circumpolar north used the intestinal membrane of marine mammals such as seals and walruses. As well as being waterproof, they were lightweight - some weighing as little as 85 grams - and were worn over warm coats such as fur parkas. They were mainly used by hunters to keep dry while kayaking. However, versions of these garments were sometimes worn during ceremonies or shamanic healing rituals. Valuable items, bowel anoraks were early traded with European and Russian sailors. This ancient anorak comes from a Yup'ik community. It's made from strips of bearded seal small intestine membrane, sewn together horizontally. Using sinew or plant fibers, the strips are woven together to create the garment. For protection against wind and rain, there is no front opening, only a high neckline and a hood that can be closed around the face. The shoulders are wide enough to facilitate movement while hunting. A strip of depilated sealskin was sewn around the hem to provide some structure and rigidity to the lower portion of the garment. The membrane was cleaned and treated to remove the outer and inner layers, leaving only the core layer. The core layer has special properties ideally suited to a waterproof garment: it is moisture-repellent on one side and moisture-absorbent on the other. During parka manufacture, the membrane was therefore oriented in the same way as in the animal's body, with the waterproof surface on the outside of the garment. This allowed steam to escape through the pores, while keeping the wearer dry (Issenman, 1997, p. 73). The membrane strips were sewn together using a type of waterproof stitch. To achieve this, each side of the seam was folded inwards, creating four layers through which two rows of interlaced stitches were sewn. In addition to the functional aspect of the seam, the resulting stitch adds a decorative element to an otherwise unadorned garment. This exceptional piece bears witness to a very long period of in-situ use, as evidenced by its beautiful patina, native repairs and blood stains testifying to numerous harpoon hunts on the ice floes.
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