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HOME :
Decorative Arts :
Miscellaneous : Scrimshaw Ivory
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Scrimshaw Ivory - K.8
Origin: New England
Circa: 19
th
Century AD
to 20
th
Century AD
Dimensions:
6" (15.2cm) high
x 2.75" (7.0cm) wide
Medium: Ivory
Condition: Very Fine
£5,000.00
Location: Great Britain
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| Description |
This piece represents a very
excellent example of 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. The piece
feature a very fine base-relief
carving of an erotic-Victorian era
scene.
- (K.8)
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