Check out this magnificent jade carving of sled dog & team. This piece measures about 14.5in long, 2in at its widest, and almost 4in in height. Perfect for your collection and curios cabinet. The jade is mined in British Columbia, sent overseas to be carved, and then assembled in Alaska.
It is unknown when the first sled dog race was held. Humans have domesticated dogs for thousands of years, and sled dogs have been used for transportation in Arctic areas for almost as long. The first sled dog race to feature a codified set of rules was the All Alaska Sweepstakes which first took place in 1908.
Jade was originally used by the Native peoples of Alaska for implements and adornment. It was officially designated the State Gemstone of Alaska in 1968. Most jade found in Alaska and Western Canada varies in color from pale to dark green, only about 5% of the jade mined is high quality enough for carvings and jewelry. Our jade is called “nephrite”, it is fibrous and tough, with a hardness of 5-6, specific gravity of 3.0-3.3. It is hydrous silicate of calcium and magnesium with varying amounts of iron which gives it its green color. Most of the jade used in our carvings and jewelry is currently mined in the Ogden Mountain region in the northern part of British Columbia.
