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Authenticity & Igloo Tag

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AUTHENTIC INUIT ART FROM CANADA'S ARCTIC AND THE IGLOO TAG

 
“HOW DO I KNOW IF A PIECE IS AUTHENTIC INUIT ART?”

This is one of those frequently asked questions!
The best answer is …  “Look for the Igloo tag.”
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THE IGLOO TAG IS YOUR GUARANTEE OF AUTHENTICITY!

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IT CERTIFIES THE ARTWORK HAS BEEN
HAND MADE BY CANADIAN ABORIGINAL ARTISTS.
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The Government of Canada registered the symbol of the Igloo
as a trademark to identify Inuit artwork as authentic
and to protect Inuit artists and buyers.

This tag can only be attached to original Inuit
sculptures and art from northern Canada.

Artwork marketed by Northern Images bears this tag.
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It’s sometimes confusing, particularly for new collectors, to determine what is genuine Inuit art and what is not. Some stores and gift shops sell souvenir “carvings” made of plastic, ceramic or stone, that have been mass-produced. These are NOT authentic Inuit art pieces from Canada's Arctic.

How can you tell the difference?

  • If there are several pieces that look EXACTLY alike . . .
  • If a piece has a cute, conventional look similar to a ceramic figurine . . .
  • If a piece has marks made from the moulding process . . .
  • If a piece is priced below $50 . . .
- they are not likely original works of Inuit art.

Check the base of the sculpture for a signature. Most carvers sign and date their work, either in Inuktitut syllabics or Roman orthography. Instead of a signature, older sculptures may have a number preceded by an ‘E’ or a ‘W’. These are Disc Numbers, a discarded form of identification the Canadian government imposed on Inuit individuals in the past.

"Look for the Igloo Tag"
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