Don Mangus' "It Only Hurts When I Smirk.": Alaskana

Showing posts with label Alaskana. Show all posts

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Alaskana: Vintage George Ahgupuk Decorated Lampshade

George Ahgupuk

During the 1950s a curio shop in Anchorage, Alaska marketed small table and wall lamps as souvenirs of Alaska. The ceramic bases were in the form of Billikens, antlers, and undecorated geometric shapes. The shades for these lamps were made of three or more parchment-like panels, stitched together with man-made laces that were probably intended to look like baleen. Each panel on a lamp shade was imprinted with a different George Ahgupuk drawing.

His drawings were also reproduced on a series of plastic placemats, small wooden wall plaques, and ceramic plates.

Friday, October 30, 2015

More Alaskana: George Ahgupuk Placemat Set

George Ahgupuk

Four placemats by Alaskan Eskimo (Inuit) artist George Ahgupuk. The set includes "Arctic Hunters," "Eskimo Blanket Toss,"The Quiet Visitors"," and "Return to the Village." These were originally purchased in the early 1970s in Anchorage, Alaska during the Fur Rendevouz event. They measure 17" x 11.5", and the backs are a tan color.

Alaskana items marked "Griffin's Alaska" were manufactured by Griffin's Alaska Wholesale, based in Edmonds, Washington.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Alaskana: Marx Arctic Explorer Playset - Eskimo Figures CommemoratingAlaska's Statehood

Eskimo figures were originally produced for one year only (in 1959) for the Marx Arctic Explorer Playset, to commemorate Alaska on becoming our 49th state.