A beautifully detailed ship and expertly stylized sailor scrimshaw on what appears to be stabilized bone or walrus tusk. I haven’t seen any material like this before. The rope framing is well done, and there may be additional initials under the sailor’s arm looking like “LB” or LS?
It was a gift from someone in the northwest, and the current owner would love to find out more information about it. A simple mounting and additional marking of what appears to be “T 16-5-82” on the back. Any information about the artist and the material would be greatly appreciated.
I’ve looked through the scrimshaw artist marks and signatures (thank you for creating this, Jim Stevens!) and haven’t found a match. Please add to the comments below.
2024 – Additional scrimshaw pieces have surfaced in the Far North of New Zealand, “…a strong whaling area in the 1800s”. The initials are a little different, looking like a conglomeration of “PMJB” on one, and possibly “MJB” on the smaller one. The owner is looking for more information and possible value, including the material. The shape of the tall ship reminds me of cattle bone along with the grain to the right, but I’ve only worked on similar materials – it may be part of a tusk or tooth – a picture of the back may reveal more clues (I’ll ask).
Any help in identifying the artist and the materials would be helpful. Please respond in the comments below!