When Autumn Leaves… o/`o/`

Autumn Leaves Piano Key Bookmark by Andrew Perkins
I thought about this years ago and it’s popped into my head every so often since. I finally tracked down the original art after a few hours of searching. One benefit of being unemployed is more time, if used wisely. I eschewed FB and sought creative inspirations for the last couple of months. After purchasing the image, I found it just didn’t work, so I based this on the artwork instead. Happy to have given some money to the artist (who is on iStock).

Autumn Leaves Close-up 1 Andrew Perkins

I started with the outlines of the leaves readjusted to fit on a full (the high C or low A on the piano keyboard) piano key. Once they were scrimshawed, I carefully scrimmed over the top and (mostly) within the lines using a special tattoo needle that creates extremely fine lines. In case you’re interested in experimenting, it’s a cluster of needles used mainly for shading (see https://amzn.to/3ioq308) I was able to fit the needlecluster from the cartridge into a pen tip that will retract most of the time, so I have avoided unintentional micro-tattoos. Since I’m using a slightly softer material than ivory, it was a good time saver: I’m working full time again and don’t have the hours to spend as I used to, just one or two a night. That being said it still took me several days to scribe the cross-hatching and fill all the leaves with India ink pigment.

Autumn Leaves Close-up 1 Andrew Perkins

Overall I like the way it came out. I may experiment with some smaller piano key “heads” and “tails”, but I think there will be fewer leaves: making them smaller would turn my scrimshaw into “screamshaw”. I guess that would be appropriate for October.

Close up Autumn leaves scrimshaw by Andrew Perkins
Finished "Autumn Leaves" by Andrew Perkins

Mystery Artist 52 – E. Okleasik artist mark on Walrus Tusk

Mystery Artist 52 E. Okleasik on walrus tusk

From Alaska comes a nice clean walrus tusk scrimshawed in the late 1980’s to early 1990 depicting a fishing trawler with a leaping fish. Nicely done, wonderful balance of scrimshaw to ivory, not heavily detailed or shaded. The signature is E.Okleasik and was given to the owner’s grandfather from a gentleman that moved to Alaska in the 1950’s.

Mystery Artist 52 - closer view of the scrimshaw depicting a leaping fish and a trawler in the background.

The owners would love to know more about the artist, and are curious if it is real ivory, which I believe it is by the looks of the crazing and the ink working its way underneath the cracks. The base is sealed, but you can see the scribe lines of the scrimshaw near it, definitely not molded.

Signature under the trawler “E. Okleasik”

Does anyone know the artist E. Okleasik or have any information on them? Write your comments below, we’d love to see more of their work.

Mystery Artist 51 – S and Harpoon


A tie-tack with an artist’s mark of the letter S with a harpoon is the latest head scratcher brought to my attention. Appears to be ivory, possibly walrus, though it is missing the “tapioca” grain that often appears on the ivory from that species, I’m just basing my assumption on the creamy color. It could well be mammoth, whale, elephant or other ivory. I like the artist mark, its simplicity and the integration of the harpoon and rope makes it quite memorable.
Artist mark S with harpoon - mystery artist 51

Anyone familiar with the artist or the mark? Please feel free to write your comments below.

Mystery Artist 51 – via Sarah – SOLVED in one day!

Framed scrimshaw oval – Mystery Artist 51

From Sarah: ” I recently acquired 2 scrimshaw pieces and I was hoping you could help me ID the artist. Also, I’m not sure what material it is either.”

The oval is 3″x2″ (76.2mmx50.4mm) She also attempted the hot pin test with no definite results. Aquired in New Jersey, it’s a nice looking piece with a lot of detail and the initials of the artist – something you don’t usually find on mass produced items. Sadly it’s difficult to make out the exact initials.

Close-up of Mystery Artist 51

The typical reproductions are larger ovals and often in portrait mode, usually measuring approximately 4″x5″ (101.6mmx126.4mm) and often have the name of the ship on a banner, many times mounted in an oval frame. It looks like there is a small amount of color as well, though this may be an affect of the camera.

Initial on Mystery Artist 51

Even on a close-up, the initials are barely discernable. The images came in at 640x480px, so magnifying hasn’t helped.

Does anyone recognize this artist? Please add your comments below!

Solved! Thanks to “The Scrimshaw Collector’s Guild“, especially Bill Feeney and Jonathan Laubin. Now that I look at it, I can see “SB” more clearly. In case anyone is interested, as of 7/15/2020 there is another one for sale on Etsy.

Hiss! A New Scrimshaw by Rod Lacey

Rod Lacey has shared his latest scrimshaw on a fascinating letter opener that he could only obtain as a gift.

“I have chosen this picture because I have a small letter opener that I have had for many years, it has an ivory handle, and the size and shape should fit.
The ivory is Dugong Ivory from Thursday Island at the northern tip of Eastern Australia. A local made it and gifted it to me. The handle is fashioned from Dugong Ivory, and blade is from Pearl Oyster Shell. I embellished it with 925 wires that I have rhodium plated.
Length 17.5cm x 2.5 (6.89″ x 0.98″) wide, weight all up 78 grams (2.75 oz).
[Dugong are also known as “sea cows” among other names, and are scattered throughout the world in warmer waters. As an endangered species they cannot be hunted. Rod writes: “The only legal way to acquire a piece is to have it gifted to you by an Aboriginal/Torris Strait Islander.”

Stage 1 -14/6/20
This picture shows the Letter Opener ready to be scrimshawed.

Stage 1 -14/6/20
This picture shows the Letter Opener ready to be scrimshawed.
Stage 2- 14/6/20
This picture shows the ivory with the snake picture attached and ready to have the basic outline cut out.
Stage 3- 14/6/20
This picture shows the outline cut out and with black oil paint applied. I will now do the background.
Stage 4- 17/6/20
This picture shows the background finished. Next, I will do the snake in the grass.
Stage 5- 18/6/20
This picture shows the finished scrimshaw. I will do the base next.
Scrimshawed letter opener on cradled on it's handmade base with the title scrimshawed on a piece of mammoth ivory embellished with mother of pearl
Stage 6- 20/6/20
This picture shows the base with the Paper Opener sitting in its cradle. Not sure what the wood is but it has a fantastic grain. I have fitted a mammoth ivory nameplate with Mother of Pearl embellishments, I borrowed this idea from a David Adams scrimshaw.