Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 18

Scrimshaw of a great engraved whale tooth exquisite workmanship mid-19th century

$8,935.44List Price

About the Item

Beautiful and rich Scrimshaw of a great engraved whale tooth, of fine workmanship datable around the mid-19th c., length 14.3 cm, depicting rich and detailed hunting scene: large whaler three-masted with men on board, 2 rowboats with 6 whalers each trying to harpoon a whale, 6 whales two of which are harpooned, on the tip of the tooth is engraved the initials TB within a frame. The sides read The COMET whaling off New Zealand and Th os Ballantine. On back of the tooth depicts elegant female figure, elegantly dressed in refined and finely ornamented clothing, seated in a garden in the shade of a tree and an open book on her lap, the facial expression is absorbed in a gaze that looks away. Above the head the woman's initials D.M.L. A beautiful frame of leaves encloses the tooth at the bottom. Very Good Condition. Measures 14.3x7.5x4- inches 5.7x2.8x1.7. The last photo is the gift wrapping. The word "scrimshaw" refers to an art form (and the various products of this art) that developed aboard American whaling ships between 1745 and 1759 as a means of entertainment to occupy time during the long hours aboard; this art form consisted of a process of carving and engraving whale bones and teeth, with which a wide range of both everyday and ornamental objects were made, which were usually made as souvenirs for members of one's family. Nella scelta dei materiali il primo era sicuramente il dente d'avorio del capodoglio. Solo la punta del dente era liscia ed era necessario preparare il resto della superficie ruvida lucidandola. Il dente era ben immerso in acqua salata o calda, spesso con l'aggiunta di potassio. Quindi veniva utilizzata una lima per strofinare e arrotondare la superficie, e infine una carta vetrata fine per completare il processo. L'ultima fase della lucidatura veniva eseguita con pomice o cenere e poi il dente veniva strofinato ancora con il palmo della mano. Each step had to be performed very slowly so as not to affect the smooth surface of the tooth. In terms of subjects for scrimshandering, the most common were a drawing of a ship or scenes of cetacean capture, made with a needle or knife, or an appropriate blade: for example, thanks to Herman Melville we know that some whalers had boxes of dentist's tools specially designed for scrimshandering. The origin of scrimshandering, as the whalers called it, i.e., the art of making scrimshaw, is a mystery: theories range from locating its origin in Eskimo culture or with Native Americans to emphasizing the influence of South Sea islanders. La spiegazione di Edouard A. Stackpole (1903 -1993), giornalista americano, scrittore e storico di caccia alle balene, è forse la più plausibile: lo scrimshaw sarebbe stato semplicemente lo sviluppo marittimo dell'antica arte di intagliare l'avorio, così come era stata praticata per secoli, e in quanto forma d'arte popolare non sarebbe stato altro che un adattamento da parte dei balenieri americani di un antico mestiere.

Dimensions:
Height: 5.7 in (14.48 cm)Diameter: 2.8 in (7.12 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Teeth
Period:
1850-1859
Date of Manufacture:
1850
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Milan, IT
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU1020237324562

Antique Late 19th Century Northern Irish Nautical Objects

Materials

Other

19th Century Irish Folk Art Whale Tooth

$4,500

H 3.5 in W 2 in D 2 in

Large 19th Century Presentation Half Hull Model of a Whale Ship

Located in Nantucket, MA

19th Century Presentation Half Hull Model of a Whale Ship, circa 1850, a large plank on frame model of a bluff-bowed and wide abeam whale ship. The model wa...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century American Folk Art Nautical Objects

Materials

Pine

Large 19th Century Presentation Half Hull Model of a Whale Ship

$7,200

H 13.5 in W 65 in D 7.25 in

Exquisite 19th Century Cabinet of Curiosities Object – Jeweled Elephant

Located in Madrid, ES

Exquisite 19th Century Object from a Cabinet of Curiosities – Jeweled Elephant Important, finely carved elephant sculpture, probably made in Germany in the 19th century, intended as ...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century German Arts and Crafts Collectible Jewelry

Materials

Organic Material

Exquisite 19th Century Cabinet of Curiosities Object – Jeweled Elephant

$7,744

H 6.7 in W 4.73 in D 2.37 in

19th Century American Portable Engraved Bronze Sundial

Located in Madrid, ES

19th Century American Portable Engraved Bronze Sundial Rare American portable sundial from the 19th century, finely engraved in bronze with inscriptions of various U.S. cities for g...

Category

Antique 1850s Scientific Instruments

Materials

Brass

19th Century American Portable Engraved Bronze Sundial

$1,548

H 3.94 in W 3.94 in D 1.58 in

19th Century "Globe De Marié" in Great Condition

Located in Sofia, BG

19th century "Globe de Marié" that was used for a demonstration of an intension to propose marriage to your beloved. The bottom part is made of hand painted wood and the decoration i...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century French Models and Miniatures

Materials

Glass

19th Century "Globe De Marié" in Great Condition

$1,072 Sale Price

43% Off

H 16.93 in W 11.82 in D 4.73 in

19th Century Silvered and Engraved Bronze Portable Sundial

Located in Madrid, ES

Elegant 19th-century portable sundial crafted in bronze, partially silvered and finely engraved with precise calibrations and decorative detailing. This compact timekeeping instrumen...

Category

Antique 1810s Scientific Instruments

Materials

Brass

19th Century Silvered and Engraved Bronze Portable Sundial

$595

H 1.19 in Dm 3.15 in

19th Century Five Sided Taxidermy Glass Showcase of Sixteen Exquisite Birds

Located in San Francisco, CA

This 19th Century taxidermy showcase is not merely a historical artifact but a glimpse into the time when scientific discovery, natural history, and artistic expression converged in captivating displays of the natural world. The box contains 16 birds, individual species identification is unknown. Whether displayed as a centerpiece in a Victorian-inspired parlor or as an educational piece in a library, this taxidermy box...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century British Late Victorian Taxidermy

Materials

Glass, Wood

19th Century Five Sided Taxidermy Glass Showcase of Sixteen Exquisite Birds

$5,000

H 29 in W 25 in D 16.5 in

Powder keg. Engraved horn, rope, cork. Spain, 19th century.

Located in Madrid, ES

Powder keg. Engraved horn, rope, cork. Spain, 19th century. A container for storing gunpowder made from a cow's horn and decorated on the outside with a series of figurative, geomet...

Category

Antique 19th Century Spanish Neoclassical Revival Sports Equipment and M...

Materials

Metal, Other

Powder keg. Engraved horn, rope, cork. Spain, 19th century.

$1,787

H 2.76 in W 3.15 in D 10.63 in

19th Century Chinese Portable Engraved and Enameled Bronze Sundial

Located in Madrid, ES

Rare cadran solaire portatif chinois du XIXe siècle, finement ouvragé en bronze gravé et émaillé. Cet instrument aux détails précis témoigne du savoir-faire et de l'art scientifique...

Category

Antique 1880s Scientific Instruments

Materials

Brass

19th Century Chinese Portable Engraved and Enameled Bronze Sundial

$1,072

H 1.19 in W 5.52 in D 3.94 in

19th Century Chinese Portable Engraved and Enameled Bronze Sundial

Located in Madrid, ES

Rare cadran solaire portatif chinois du XIXe siècle, finement ouvragé en bronze gravé et émaillé. Cet instrument aux détails précis témoigne du savoir-faire et de l'art scientifique...

Category

Antique 1880s Scientific Instruments

Materials

Brass

19th Century Chinese Portable Engraved and Enameled Bronze Sundial

$1,072

H 1.19 in W 4.73 in D 3.15 in

More From This Seller

View All

Box of mid-19th century compasses housed in their tuia burl box

Located in Milan, IT

Box of mid-19th century compasses, housed in their original tuia burl box, nickel-plated brass and ivory instruments, velvet and satin interior, lock and hinges in brass. Embossed ...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Scientific Instruments

Materials

Wood

Box of mid-19th century compasses housed in their tuia burl box

$1,548

Print No. 1 of 400 Depicting a Nautical Schooner Made in the Mid-19th Century

Located in Milan, IT

Print depicting a schooner, no. 1 of 400 copies signed Z21, made in the mid-19th century. Non-coeval briarwood frame; measures with frame 50 x 40 cm.

Category

Antique 1850s British Nautical Objects

Materials

Paper

Print No. 1 of 400 Depicting a Nautical Schooner Made in the Mid-19th Century

$833

Torricellian mahogany barometer signed Corton Lincoln mid-19th cent.

Located in Milan, IT

Torricellian mercury barometer in mahogany wood, signed Corton Lincoln of the mid 19th cent. complete with reading nonius for checking pressure variation, alcohol thermometer, hyg...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Scientific Instruments

Materials

Wood

Torricellian mahogany barometer signed Corton Lincoln mid-19th cent.

$2,263

Torricellian barometer French manufacture from the second half of the 19th century

Located in Milan, IT

Torricellian mercury barometer, French manufacture from the second half of the 19th century, made of mahogany veneer wood with cedar wood edge threading complete with rare thermomet...

Category

Antique 1870s Scientific Instruments

Materials

Wood

Torricellian barometer French manufacture from the second half of the 19th century

$2,323

Late 19th century Antique Maritime Model of Cargo-Carrack Probably from Genoa

Located in Milan, IT

Wooden antique ship model of a cargo-carrack, probably from Genoa, with three masts, end of the 19th century. Very good conditions. Measures: Length cm 70 - inches 28, height cm 56 ...

Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Nautical Objects

Materials

Wood

Late 19th century Antique Maritime Model of Cargo-Carrack Probably from Genoa

$1,727

Stick barometer signed Scalvino Milano from the first half of the 19th century

Located in Milan, IT

Batten barometer signed Scalvino Milano from the first half of the 19th century, made of ebonized wood. Complete with reading nonius for atmospheric pressure change and mercury therm...

Category