Scrimshaw.com Store

Posted on by Andrew Perkins

Scrimshaw on eco-friendly materials.  Choose from a variety of accessories, create your own scrimshaw with our easy to use templates, or browse our store for inspiration!  Custom orders available. 
You can currently reach my Etsy store with this link:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/scrimshaw

Select items are available at our Amazon Store, too!

Assortment of Scrimshaws

We’re also dabbling with a Shopify Store, available here: https://Scrimshaw21.com – there are a few items available there you can’t find anywhere else, and for a limited time personalization cost is 50% off. We’re growing this store between keeping the others stocked and keeping the driveway clear of snow.

Mystery Artist 62 – Artist “Nixon”

Posted on by Andrew

The owner of an ornate bracelet with a nicely shaded black and white scrimshawed butterfly and flowers is looking for more information about the artist. It shows the date of 1977, and the last name of Nixon, though the preceeding initials are hard to distinguish. Around Danville Illinois is where her husband found it, they’d like to know if it’s bone, ivory, horn, etc.
The cabochon is approximately 1″ x 2″ (25.4mm x 50.8mm). Let us know in the comments if you can!

Bracelet face with black and white butterfly, the year 1977 and the artists name - some initials illegible but the name Nixon is clear.
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Image edge with the slight brown stripe reminds me of the material "galalith".

Image edge with the slight brown stripe reminds me of the material “galalith”.

Scrimshaw Examples from 2025

Posted on by Andrew

Scrimshaw Examples from 2025

A sampling of some of the scrimshaws I was able to create for 2025. I use Chatbooks to create a little “brag book”, and they also have an online version you can share. Aside from and excellent product both digital and physical, their advertising campaign still makes me smile. You can see them on Youtube here.
If you like the idea, Chatbooks is running a promotion that gives you a $15 credit toward your first order. That’s a great way to test out their service! For example, my previous brag book was 30 pages and cost $22 total, so you could get something similar for about $7.

Mystery Artist 61 – Navajo Style Bracelet

Posted on by Andrew
Ivory Cabochon with scrimshaw depicting a blonde woman's portrait facing left and looking to the right

This is a fascinating piece. Purchased by her father in the early 1990’s, this is a silver bracelet with a rectangular cabochon that appears to be ivory depicting a woman with golden blonde hair which looks to me to be early 20th century style with a bandana or similar. The simple elegant lines hide the fact that there is subtle shading in the cheeks, the blue in the eyes and the hair tie, and the hair coloring.
One letter “O” with a tail jutting off to the top left reminicent of a stem(possibly Cheri?) or perhaps some other meaning – kind of reaching on that thought. The only other marking is that of what I’m thinking is a Phoenix on the bracelet’s cuff.

The owner is curious about the history of the artist and would like to know more about who made this memorable and cherished bracelet.

Bottom of bracelet with artist's mark which looks like a Phoenix

Anyone familiar with the artist? Please let us know in the comments below!

Mystery Artist 60 – Doug or Derek Fine? – Verified!

Posted on by Andrew Perkins

Christian from Germany sent me a picture of a vintage knife with scrimshaw that is for sale on their version of “Craigslist” called “Kleinanzeigen.de”. Well worn, probably used daily, the scrimshaw is still quite visible, as is the artist’s mark. Thanks to Jim Stevens’ page “Scrimshaw Artist Marks and Signatures“, I think I found the artist.


The mark resembles Doug Fine’s, and the scrimshaw may be one of his earlier ones by the looks of the knife and the work. Doug’s work can still be found today at the Whaler’s Locker.

Digging through the wayback machine, I was able to find that Doug was an artist at the site LahianaScrimshawMaui.com, no longer on the web. It seems Doug’s son Derek is still active, though at https://www.mauihands.com/project/derek-fine/ . I’m attempting to contact him to verify if this was his or his father’s work.

Maui Hands responded quickly:
“Aloha Andrew,
Thank you for your message and inquiry. Happy to help!
Here’s what Derek had to say:
‘Wow, I haven’t seen that work for awhile,
That’s my Father, Doug Fine, we have the same initials,
That’s why I put DD Fine on my work.’

Mahalo,

Catherine”