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HOME :
Decorative Arts :
Miscellaneous : Scrimshaw ivory
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Scrimshaw ivory - K.20
Origin: New England
Dimensions:
5.5" (14.0cm) high
x 2.5" (6.4cm) wide
Condition: Very Fine
£6,000.00
Location: Great Britain
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| Description |
This is a unique and refined
Scrimshaw. Scrimshaw is the
name given to scrollwork,
engravings, and carvings done in
bone or ivory. Typically it refers to
the handiwork created by whalers
made from the byproducts of
harvesting marine mammals. It is
most commonly made out of the
bones and teeth of sperm whales,
the baleen of other whales, and
the tusks of walruses. It takes the
form of elaborate engravings in the
form of pictures and lettering on
the surface of the bone or tooth,
with the engraving highlighted
using a pigment, or, less often,
small sculptures made from the
same material. However the latter
really fall into the categories of
ivory carving, for all carved teeth
and tusks, or bone carving. The
making of scrimshaw began on
whaling ships between 1745 to
1759 on the Pacific Ocean, and
survived until the ban on
commercial whaling. The practice
survives as a hobby and as a trade
for commercial artisans.
One of the two sides of the
scrimshaw bears a maritime scene
with a virtuous rendering of an
sailer. Over the latter an
inscription: "The huntress", most
likely the name of the watercraft described.
Furthermore, underneath the
sailer, it is possible to observe a winged,
feminine figurehead, a typical
decoration of the vessels of
the period.
On the other part of this excellent
Scrimshaw the artist has rendered
a unique erotic scene, depicting a
couple in an agrestic location.
- (K.20)
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