Scrimshaw
Scrimshaw is scrollwork, engravings, and carvings created on bone or ivory. Scrimshaw originated in the late 18th century from the practice of sailors on whaling ships creating tools and utensils, where the byproducts of whales and other marine mammals were readily available. The term originally referred to the making of these tools, only later referring to works of art created by whalers in their spare time. Whalebone was ideally suited for the task, as it is easy to work and was plentiful. A maker of scrimshaw is known as a scrimshander.
Scrimshaw essentially was a leisure activity for whalers. Because the work of whaling was very dangerous at the best of times, whalers were unable to work at night. This gave them a great deal more free time than other sailors. A lot of scrimshaw was never signed, and a great many of the pieces are anonymous. Early scrimshaw was done with crude sailing needles, and the movement of the ship, as well as the skill of the artist, produced drawings of varying levels of detail and artistry. Originally, candle black, soot or tobacco juice would have been used to bring the etched design into view. Also, ink was used that the sailors would bring on before the voyage.
New England whalers introduced scrimshaw to the northern Eskimos in the early 19th century. Today the art form is very popular among Alaskan artists, both Alaska Native and non-native, who use walrus ivory, mammoth ivory, baleen and antler as a medium. The piece is etched into using a sharp pin like tool and then covered in ink, which seeps into the scratches. Some use colors to create a more lifelike depiction, while others use a more traditional black. Some scrimshanders ink their work with more than one color and restrained polychrome examples of this art are now popular.
For decades, the appreciation of scrimshaw as an art form was largely confined to nautical museums and a handful of collectors. That began to change, though, after the 1955 publication of Everett Crosby’s book, Susan’s Teeth and Much Ado About Scrimshaw. Five years later John F. Kennedy was elected president, and his well-documented passion for collecting scrimshaw helped put a spotlight on this art form that remains to this day.
Care and preservation: Ivory is a fragile medium; many 19th-century pieces were preserved because they were kept in a barrel of oil on board ship. Sensible choices regarding storage and display preserve whale ivory best: keep out of direct sunlight, handle with cotton gloves or freshly washed hands, and avoid keeping in places with shifting humidity and temperature. Coating organic objects can induce eventual cracking and discoloration.
primary information source: Wikipedia
