Mid 19th Century American Scrimshaw Whales Tooth

Description

Heading : A scrimshaw whales tooth
Date : c18
Period : Victoria
Origin : United States
Decoration : Depiction of a ship the Kutusoff and map of Long Island Sound
Size :  12.6cms ( about 5 inches)
Condition : Dirt filled cracks. uneven brown patina. soft sheen.
Restoration : None
Weight :  214grams

The Kutusoff  was a whaler registered in New Bedford Massachusetts to the west of Long Island Sound. we are advised that it was registered in the early 1840s and was scrapped in 1861. The map is very detailed and the place names provide valuable dating evidence as some have changed. The long s ʃ is utilised. This was little used after 1800 in the printing trade but continued to be used in handwriting until the mid 19th century.

The skirt is intact and has not been ground down.

The activity of whaling has largely and quite rightly been consigned to the history books. However. during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries it was a huge industry when men pitted their wits. and in many cases their lives. against the leviathans of the deep.  Thousands of sailors spent months away from home in search of what at the time were essential commodities. whale oil and meat.  These extended trips led to much down time and boredom for the men on ship and one way of occupying themselves was to utilise the otherwise redundant products. bone and teeth.

This tooth is a classic example of the folk art which became known as scrimshaw. Etched and inked designs varied from the naive to the supremely intricate. often echoing the sailor’s experiences and loves.

With export restrictions on marine ivory please be mindful of the regulations in your domain.