A close-up of a piece of ScrimshawA small collection of Scrimshaw
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Scrimshaw

Scrimshaw is the name given to 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. more...

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It takes the form of elaborate carvings in the form of pictures and lettering on the surface of the bone or tooth, with the engravings highlighted using a pigment, or small sculptures made from the same material. The making of scrimshaw began on whaling ships between 1817 to 1824 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. A maker of scrimshaw is known as a scrimshander.

History of scrimshaw

Scrimshaw is derived from the shipboard practice of sailors creating common tools, and on whaling ships the byproducts of whales were readily available. The term originally referred to the making of these tools, only later referring to works of art created by whalers in their spare time. Whale bone is ideally suited towards the task, as it is very easy to work and very plentiful.

The development of scrimshaw took off after the market for whale teeth, which was sought by Chinese traders for use in the Pacific Islands (for example the Fijian market for tabua), was flooded with teeth after a narrative by an American sailor, Captain David Porter, revealed both the market and the source of the teeth. Around this time is the earliest authenticated pictorial piece of scrimshaw (1817). The tooth was inscribed with the following This is the tooth of a sperm whale that was caught near the Galapagos islands by the crew of the ship Adam , and made 100 barrels of oil in the year 1817.

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Tibet Silver Have The Monkey Tube Of Carving $24.00  Rare beautiful Two vivid silver owl  $9.99
Rare Scrimshaw Classic Flayderman Whalemen 1972 $150.00 ~Beautiful Ship Carved Into Great Lakes Shell~ $9.99
43Mm Fossil " Mako Shark Tooth " Necklace Bone Beads $39.99 Vintage Scrimshaw Artpiece ,estate sale $9.99
old rare tibet turquoise carved hippopotamus Statue $0.85 Antique Scrimshaw Carvings (1 pair) $20.00
vintage chinese wood and jade box with chess a set $24.00 Alaskan Alaska Eskimo Scrimshaw Antler Eskimo Village $130.00
Pair Iv0Ry Warthog Tusks $10.00 21 long lower Iv0Ry Warthog Tusks $10.00
2 large Iv0Ry Warthog Tusks, very old. $10.00 Excellent bone carve cricket cage $8.97
Alaska Native Scrimshaw Whale Tooth Eskimo Shaman Beads $349.90 18 small Iv0Ry Warthog Tusks, not replica. $20.00
Tagua Nut Ivory Hand Done Scrimshaw Ship Scene $14.00 75Mm Fossil Megalodon Shark Tooth Necklace Hawaii Lava $75.99
Excellent China silver jade tobacco pipe tool $0.99 Nautical Scrimshaw on Elephant Toe Folding Knife/knives $36.61
Excellent red coral elephant statues $9.99 Elrathia trilobite fossil bits & parts for saw fun tin $4.75
Faux Ivory Whale Tooth Display, Scrimshaw, Engraving #2 $14.95 37 lower Iv0Ry Warthog Tusks $10.00
big rice figure south Sea peacock green pearl necklace $0.01 beautiful old Scrimshaw Whale tie tack-estate Nr $9.99
Rare beautiful Tibetan green jade bowl $0.99 Old 1930s Inuit Native Made Flower Top Salt Pepper $73.00
Scrimshaw Duck Trinket Box, awesome+very Ornate Item $11.99 Amazing "Mermaid on Shell" Boxwood Scrimshaw $95.00
Bone Ivory Scrimshaw Hand Done Ship Scene $24.00 Carved Dog Box $9.99
Scrimshaw Display Stand with Big Disks $49.00 Scrimshaw Display Stand $19.99
Excellent China turquoise carved belle $6.88 Set of African Bushpig Tusks, not replica. $10.00
Scrimshaw Large Bone Magnifying Glass & Letter Opener $49.99 Old Ivory Sailing Ship Scrimshaw Silver Belt Buckle $29.99
45Mm Fossil " Mako Shark Tooth " Necklace Red Agates $49.99 Rare Bone Carved Two Dragon Statues $9.99
Scrimshaw Carved Bone & Walnut Nantucket Rolling Pin $84.99 Bone Ivory Scrimshaw Hand Done Ship & Lighthouse Scene $20.00
Carved Bone Scrimshaw Whales Tooth Whaler Lion 1827 $29.95 Antique Brass Binoculars-International Opera Glass Co. $7.50
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Prices current as of last update, 01/05/09 3:10pm.

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