Howlite Carving Depicting Polar Bears by W.K. Ngai Fitted Box

This is a stunning lifelike carving of Polar Bears by important carver and artist W.K Nagi. The two bears are finely carved with realistic textured fur playing on an iceberg. The base is made of black onyx. Excellent condition comes with fitted box, Measures 9 x 8 x 6 1/2 inches. W.K. Ngai With the equivalent of US$40, a cutting machine, and a vision, W.K. Ngai founded a gemstone cutting workshop in Hong Kong in 1964. Starting at first with cabochons, he gradually learned the techniques and secrets of the masters for cutting gemstones. By 1979, W.K. became one of the first in the industry to open a factory in China with seven employees, devoting extraordinary time, effort and patience to train men who were once farmers to become master gemstone carvers. At its peak, the factory employed over 1,000 workers with over 300 of them being physically disabled. The workshop is now closed and Ngai retired, thus the carvings offered here are all limited edition.