Maxx Laate comes from the greater Laate family of Zuni artists. Together with his late brother Pernell Laate, they began carving in the mid-1980s. At that time they made their own tools but later used electric equipment, as many carvers do today. They would often visit wildlife magazines to refine the details in their artwork. Maxx’s happy Bear cubs climb a tree in this approximately 1 3/4″ tall, 1 3/4″ wide and 1 1/4″ deep intricately detailed work from precious pink coral. Eyes are from turquoise inlays. One of the cubs looks like it’s playing with a tail fin from a fish catch.