Inuit Stone Carving By Dimu Dimu Arctic Handcrafts Appraisal

Inuit Stone Carving by Dimu (Dimu Arctic Handcrafts)

This is a hand-finished stone carving depicting a figure in a traditional hooded parka (amauti), likely representing an Inuit hunter. Based on the user's provided metadata, the piece is attributed to 'Dimu,' which corresponds to Dimu Arctic Handcrafts, a workshop active in the mid-to-late 20th century (approximately 1960s-1980s). The sculpture is crafted from a dark, variegated soapstone or similar soft metamorphic rock, displaying a dense grey-to-black grain with visible striations. The figure is shown standing on an integrated rectangular base, holding what appears to be a removable harpoon or tool made of a lighter material, possibly plastic or bone. Distinguishing stylistic features include the deeply recessed, simplified facial features under a rounded hood, vertical incised lines representing the fringe of the parka, and u-shaped incisions on the boots (kamiks). The surface exhibits a matte-to-satin finish with visible hand-tooling marks. Condition-wise, there is noticeable wear along the leading edges of the base where the dark outer finish has chipped away to reveal a lighter grey stone underneath. This piece represents a blend of traditional indigenous motifs and mid-century commercial Inuit-style art production meant for the souvenir and collector markets.