Scrimshaw: Whaler's Engraved Bone and Ivory Art
Scrimshaw is the traditional craft of engraving or carving designs on whale teeth, whalebone (baleen), walrus ivory, and other marine materials, practiced primarily by American and British whalemen during the 18th and 19th centuries. Created during long whaling voyages, scrimshaw ranges from simple scratched designs to sophisticated pictorial engravings of ships, portraits, and allegorical scenes. It represents one of America's few indigenous folk art traditions.
History
- 1740s-1760s: Earliest known scrimshaw from the American colonial whaling fleet
- 1820s-1860s: Golden age of scrimshaw, coinciding with the peak of the American whaling industry
- 1860s onward: Decline as the whaling industry contracted; petroleum replaced whale oil
- 1870s-1900s: Later examples often more refined but less spontaneous than golden-age work
- 1973: Endangered Species Act restricted trade in marine mammal ivory; existing antique scrimshaw exempted with documentation
- Major whaling ports: Nantucket, New Bedford, Sag Harbor, New London, Mystic
Identification
- Materials: Sperm whale teeth (most common), whale jawbone (panbone), walrus ivory, whale baleen
- Technique: Designs scratched or engraved with a sharp tool, then filled with ink or soot to make visible
- Patina: Genuine antique ivory develops a warm yellow patina and fine surface crazing
- Subject matter: Ships, whaling scenes, portraits of women, patriotic eagles, floral designs, geometric patterns
- Fakes: Modern reproductions are extremely common — resin casts, polymer copies, and engraved bone are sold as authentic
- Shrinkage lines: Genuine old ivory develops characteristic concentric drying cracks (Schreger lines visible in cross-section)
Types and Price Ranges
| Type | Description | Typical Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Whale tooth, simple design | Ship or geometric pattern | $500 - $2,000 |
| Whale tooth, fine pictorial | Detailed ship portrait or scene | $2,000 - $15,000 |
| Whale tooth, exceptional | Museum-quality engraving | $15,000 - $100,000+ |
| Panbone plaque | Engraved whale jawbone | $500 - $5,000 |
| Swift (yarn winder) | Whalebone and ivory, functional | $500 - $3,000 |
| Jagging wheel (pie crimper) | Carved whale ivory, functional | $300 - $2,000 |
| Busk (corset stay) | Engraved whalebone, love token | $300 - $3,000 |
| Whale ivory cane/walking stick | Carved handle | $500 - $5,000 |
| Ditty box | Whalebone construction, engraved | $1,000 - $8,000 |
Condition Factors
- Ink retention: Original ink in the engraved lines should be stable; re-inked pieces are less desirable
- Cracks: Some drying cracks are natural and expected in old ivory; extensive cracking reduces value
- Surface patina: Natural golden patina is desirable; bleached or artificially whitened pieces are less valued
- Completeness: Functional items (swifts, jagging wheels) must have all components
- Provenance: Documentation linking a piece to a specific ship, voyage, or whaler adds enormous value
Collecting Tips
- Authentication is the single most important issue in scrimshaw collecting — fakes vastly outnumber genuine pieces on the market
- The New Bedford Whaling Museum and Nantucket Whaling Museum are essential resources for study and comparison
- Federal law requires that scrimshaw be documented as pre-1973 (pre-Endangered Species Act) for legal sale; many states have additional restrictions
- Buy from established dealers who provide written guarantees of authenticity and age
- Attributed pieces (linked to a known engraver, ship, or voyage) bring enormous premiums over anonymous work
- "Susan's teeth" and other known groups by identified engravers are the most prestigious collecting areas
- Functional whaling implements (jagging wheels, swifts, busks) combine folk art appeal with utilitarian craftsmanship