Scrimshaw -- Painstaking etching on ivory or bone -- is one
of only a few indigenous American crafts. Practiced for centuries by
the Inuit and other native groups along the Northwest Coast, it was adopted by
the Yankee whalemen of the early 1800's. Two- to five-year voyages quickly
became monotonous, so the whalemen turned to working with baleen, whale teeth,
and jawbones, all of which were in abundant supply -- in fact, on many ships,
whale teeth were part of the pay, and were often traded to shopkeepers in port
for goods or services. Common subjects included whaling scenes, ships,
women, and scenes copied from magazines of the day. The origin of the word
is obscure; one interesting etymology is a Dutch phrase meaning "to waste
one's time"! The term "scrimshaw" also applies to
carved or pierced bone or ivory, since much of the whalemen's work was carved
rather than etched.
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I use naturally-shed antler and
three types of ivory, all of which are obtained legally and do not
endanger living species:
Naturally-shed deer, elk
and moose antler are used for unique collector pieces and desk
accessories, such as pen bases, letter openers with fine hardwood blades
and antler handles, keyrings, fireplace sets, and cribbage boards. This
material is also used for knife scales and handles and other pieces that
get a lot of wear because it is tougher than ivory. Items currently
for sale include cribbage boards,
desk accessories and
keyrings made from antlers.
Piano keys -- These are
actually "recycled" elephant ivory, and may be any shade from
brilliant white to yellow-brown. These pieces are quite thin -- less than
1/16 inch -- and often have a wood-like grain. The last US-made keys were
produced in 1953 in Ivoryton, CT., long before CITES or the Endangered
Species Act went into effect. Due to the size limit, roughly 1" x
2" for "tops" or "pads" and 1/2" x 4"
for tails, the size of finished pieces is also limited. These lend
themselves well to pierced work (backed with fine wood veneers) made from
the tops, and bookmarks and sewing rulers (either 4" or 10 cm) made
from the tails (between the black keys). I have
pendants, earrings, and
bookmarks of piano keys presently
available.
"Fossil"
walrus ivory -- This takes the form of either teeth (shed by the
walrus periodically and washed onshore) or tusk pieces. The latter can be
either "fossil" ivory artifacts found near centuries-old Eskimo
villages, or fresh ivory taken legally by Eskimos and distributed by
the Alaska Fish and Game Commission. Centuries of burial or immersion in
cold seawater color this material a light tan to a deep brown or gray.
Teeth are used whole, or they may be cut in to slabs or crosscuts,
displaying a chatoyancy similar to tiger-eye or star gems. Tusk ivory has
a mealy ("Cream of Wheat") appearance in its center, which can
be very appealing. Thin tooth sections focus transmitted light from one
side into a small area, a phenomenon which I use to advantage by scrimming
lighthouse pendants with actual "lights" in them! View my
available walrus ivory pendants.
Mammoth or mastodon ivory
-- This is truly a fossil ivory, and is rarely found in large pieces
suitable for scrimshaw. Ivory buried underground or in bogs ("mud
ivory") tends to be soft or punky, but Alaskan or Siberian ivory
found in glacial till and preserved by cold is an excellent medium for
scrimshaw. Partial mineralization of this material often makes it quite
hard, and imparts colors ranging from creamy white to dark brown;
occasional pieces with a blue or green hue are found. Pieces often
have a strong pattern or grain. This ivory is at least 10,000 years old;
some pieces may be much older. I have mammoth ivory pendants, both with
and without silver setting, available now.
I also
have a small selection of thicker elephant ivory pieces.
This has all been obtained legally. I have not purchased any
of this material for a number of years, since well before the import ban went
into effect in 1990. When the stock runs out, it will not be
replaced. Included are a few hair combs and thimbles, as well as
some other carved or pierced pieces, a couple tusk hollows, and
standard-sized pieces for pendants. This is a beautiful
material, but is somewhat softer than the fossil ivories or those from
marine mammals. It acquires a tan or yellowish patina with age.
This is nothing to be alarmed about; neither can you do much about
it, so enjoy it!
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Care and cleaning
Treat
your scrimshawed ivory as you would any fine jewelry. Do not get it wet
unnecessarily, because the inks, especially colors, may fade. Keep your
scrimshaw out of bright sun; this dries and cracks the ivory and may fade
certain colored inks. Detergents, shampoo, heavily chlorinated water, and
jewelry cleaning solutions should be avoided, as they turn the ivory surface
dull and remove the etched lines. Dirt and oils may be removed with a cotton
swab moistened in rubbing alcohol and wiped gently over the surface. Do
not scrub, as this will remove some ink from the fine lines. I use a light
coat of warm beeswax rubbed into the ivory to preserve the scrimshaw and keep
the ivory from drying and aging too fast. Waxing should be repeated when the
ivory is cleaned, because the alcohol removes it. If you treat your scrimshaw
with care, it will give you many years of pleasure and may become a treasured
heirloom.
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Isn't ivory illegal?
The quick answer is no. The more involved answer is that
the level of restriction depends on the type. Mammoth and mastodon ivory
carry no restrictions because they are from extinct animals. Wart hog,
hippopotamus, and elk "whistler" ivory are also unrestricted.
Ivory from African elephants can no longer be imported into the US per the CITES treaty; however,
any elephant ivory within the US can be legally bought and sold without
restriction. Sperm whale was recently downlisted on the endangered species
list; it is now considered "threatened". Its teeth can be
bought and sold via interstate commerce only by people with USFWS permits;
however, they can be sold from person to person as long as the transaction is
not across state lines. All other marine mammals are
considered "protected" under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Whole walrus tusks can only leave Alaska if they
are genuine native artwork or have special clearance; partial tusks must be
tagged by the Alaska Fish and Game Dept. The only strictly illegal ivory I am
aware of is Indian elephant; this animal is considered endangered because there
are few truly wild ones left -- most are circus or zoo animals, or are
domesticated beasts of burden.
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How do you tell different kinds of ivory
apart (including ivory substitutes)?
Ivory is a natural tooth substance that continues to grow
throughout the animal's life. As a result, it has noticeable structure and
"growth lines" much like a tree's growth rings. Artificial ivories do
not have this kind of structure, and are usually a consistent color throughout.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has put together an excellent page
devoted to this, including diagnostic features and photos for elephant, mammoth and mastodon, walrus, sperm and killer whale, narwhal, hippopotamus, and wart hog ivories, natural substitutes, hornbill "ivory", vegetable ivory and synthetic substitutes. The
easiest way to tell definitively (though a tad bit destructively!) whether the
piece you have is ivory -- if you can't find the growth rings or Schreger lines
-- is the "hot pin test". Heat a pin to nearly red hot and touch the
tip to an inconspicuous part of the object. If it is ivory, it will scorch and
smell like burning bone (a dentist's office smell). If it is polymer or
celluloid, the pin will melt into the piece, and smell like plastic or bakelite
burning.
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I think I have an old whale tooth or walrus
tusk. How much is it worth?
First of all, most of the old (meaning early to mid 1800's) pieces of
scrimshaw are in museums or private collections already. The chances of
your finding one at a garage sale or flea market are about the same as finding a
Monet or Van Gogh. If a piece has
been handed down through your family for several generations and you know one of
your ancestors was a whaler, chances are much better. Keep in mind that
most scrimshanders before 1960 rarely signed their work, and pretty much the
only dates found on early scrimshaw are commemorative in nature -- particular
sea battles, wedding dates, holidays, etc. The most notable exception is
the
Susan's
teeth, a group of teeth worked by Frederick Myrick on board the whaler Susan
in the late 1820's.
Several enterprising companies have taken it upon themselves to make
excellent replicas of museum holdings. One individual (Stephen Barlow, the
Thomas Kincaid of this genre) has made copies of his own work and that of
others, and marketed it to "fine" gift shops everywhere as
"Barlow scrimshaw". These replicas, known as "fakeshaw", are
actually quite common. The reputable museum replica makers have put a
stamp on the bottom of the piece to let buyers know they have a replica, but
others do not. The Kendall Whaling Museum has put together a list of the
known replicas with descriptions. Before you contact me about an old tooth
or tusk you own, please look through the
fakeshaw list.
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Why do you use real ivory instead of
environmentally-friendly materials?
For one, I do not consider plastics to be environmentally
friendly. They were never intended to be biodegradable, and they use
scarce petrochemical resources. Second, I only use materials that come
from
- Extinct animals -- mammoth and mastodon,
- Materials discarded by animals so they can grow new ones -- antlers and
walrus teeth, and
- Materials taken from animals long ago that would be taking up space in an
environmentally-unfriendly landfill if I didn't use them -- piano keys.
- For a more complete
description of these materials, see my Materials
Used section.
As far as substitutes go, micarta produces a series of tiny chips instead of
a fine line, corian doesn't hold ink well, and ivoryite just doesn't work well
for me. Vegetable ivory is good for carving, but its oil resists ink.
'Nuff said.
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How are the designs made?
The designs are hand-etched into the ivory surface with a
sharp tool, and ink is rubbed into the scratches. My colors are not
painted on, as is the case in mass-produced "scrimshaw" (Beware the
unicorn with a colored rainbow in the background!). The black is India
ink, and the colors are Dr. Martin's radiant watercolors. The latter are
more a dye than a pigment, but only dye the ivory where the scratches are made
because the surface is sealed when it is polished. These etched-in designs
are permanent, but abnormal wear and some substances can remove the ink or
damage the polished surface, removing the fine lines. See my
Care of Scrimshaw section for more details.
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Do you re-ink and restore old scrimshaw?
Yes, I will, as long as it's on real ivory. The plastic stuff
isn't worth my time. Re-inking is free, if return postage is provided.
Re-etching and restoring pieces, including mending cracks, is at the same rate
as a commission, $30/hr. I will provide a rough estimate of the time involved,
but it is not subject to the same "within 10% guarantee" as commissions because
working on someone else's piece or trying to restore another artisan's work is
not easy.
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Can I mail-order?
You sure can. Shipping charges are 5% of the item's value, with a
$6.00 minimum. Next-day mail service is an additional $11.00. Michigan residents must add 6% sales tax to the value
of the item, exclusive of shipping. My online ordering system will
calculate all of this for you and give you a printable invoice upon completion.
I ship items from my online catalog via Priority Mail (2-3 days) or Express mail
(next day) within 24 hours of payment confirmation.
Pendants come with a sterling silver chain, and
earrings are sterling silver posts or wires.
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Do you have a catalog?
The catalog on this website is is about as much of a catalog as I have.
All of my works are original, handmade pieces, and no two are identical,
unlike those plastic replicas sold in gift shops everywhere. If you want
four pieces exactly alike for you and your siblings, talk to Mr. Barlow, or get
a Zippo lighter! All kidding aside -- There is no way I can really put out
a printed catalog that would be cost-effective, because my pieces are not
cookie-cutter copies, and my stock turns over too rapidly.
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Do you do special orders and commissions?
Most definitely. I will work with you to figure out
exactly what you want. Prices are figured on cost of materials + labor
($30/hr). This might sound high, but I work fast, completing something
such as a large Nantucket basket plaque (2.5 x 4 inches) in 15-20 hours. Before I begin, I
give you an estimate guaranteed to be within 10% of the final cost; if I go over, I lose out. I also require 50% of the estimate to begin (half of which
is refundable), due to the
cost of materials. If you are not pleased with the result, you will get a refund upon return of the item. If you provide your own material, I only
require a 25% deposit, but this is non-refundable -- it will partially
compensate me for the time spent if you reject the work.
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Do you take plastic money?
I take orders via PayPal (VISA, MasterCard and
others) and checks
through my online ordering system. I can also take deposits for
commissions through PayPal; email me for instructions. Orders from outside the US are best
handled through PayPal, but I cannot ship any elephant ivory items
internationally -- only antler, mammoth and fossil walrus -- due to CITES restrictions
on international trade of elephant ivory.
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