Folk Art

The Art of Scrimshaw

Most popular in the early 1800’s, scrimshaw is considered by many as the only art form that originated in America.  This is because it was first practiced by whaling sailors that hunted off the coast of New England.  The word scrimshaw is believed to have come from a slang expression that was used to refer to anything that was the product of a sailor’s idle time or items that were produced while engaged in the act of “loafing” (pretty creative use of time!).  In modern times it would be akin to someone whittling a piece of wood into some item.  But, for the whalers, scrimshaw filled the hours, weeks and months they were at sea waiting for a whale sighting.  There was little else to fill the time, and with the waste of whale bone and ivory readily available, the material and the time helped create this truly American art form.  Other animal bones and tusks such as those of walruses were used when whale materials were not handy.

By the late 1800’s, when the whaling industry all but died away, scrimshaw was no longer popular.  The industry was squelched by the advent of other oil sources and with it scrimshaw nearly disappeared.  But in the 1960’s, a resurgence of popularity created a market for the often intricate carvings.  President John F. Kennedy was an avid collector, and through the 1960’s the strongest interest was the work done on the teeth of sperm whales.  Because of bans on the import and sale of all whales’ teeth, in the 1970’s, other materials were sought to continue this old-world craft.

The African elephant was the next animal whose ivory was sought for carving.  Then, with a ban on this as well, more carving substances were sought.  Here the advent of man-made products becomes an important issue.  There are many materials that can be scribed, etched and gouged to create neat scenes and designs.  The detail work of scrimshaw, however, needs a resilient, reasonably hard surface that will hold a thin scribe.  So, along with natural materials, man-made substances have become an integral part of today’s scrimshaw materials list.

Natural alternatives to banned ivories include the bones and teeth of many animals.  The antlers of whitetail and mule deer are often used for practice pieces, but they are permeated with small veins that can alter the scribe lines by absorbing the ink and altering the intended design.  Teeth and bones of hippos are used when the material is available.  Cow bones make a good substitute when they are dried and processed correctly.  Many of the scrimshaw pieces now being collected are done on these bones.

Fossil mammoth and walrus ivory is considered premier natural material from which to do scrimshaw.  Although thought to be illegal to buy, sell or collect, it is not.   Finding it is possible through Alaskan craft supply dealers, since it is in that area that the fossils are found.

Man-made materials have come onto the scene because of their ease of manufacturing and availability.  Two surfaces make super scrimshaw.  Micarta and Masecraft alternative ivory are both sold through specialty art material dealers.  Micarta is actually Corian, which is hard, yet receptive to even the most delicate scribe lines.  Masecraft “alternative ivory” is sold in sheets, rods and bars for crafting pieces for scrimshaw.

The inks used to draw out all of the fine details of the original scrimshaw were composed of a combination of lampblack and whale oil, sepia (squid ink), tobacco "juice" and various fruit juices for color.  If you want to use authentic materials, consider using tobacco juice (tobacco allowed to steep in oil for 24 hours) or perhaps experiment with fruit and vegetable stains.

For supplies off the Web, a great selection of legal ivory can be found; and many art material dealers offer imitation ivory for practice and experimentation.

Rare Scrimshaw Whale Tooth to be Auctioned

This fall Sotheby’s New York will offer for sale one of the most important works of scrimshaw whales’ teeth to be discovered in the last decade:  “A Rare and Important Engraved Scrimshaw Sperm Whale’s Tooth, William A. Gilpin, On Board the Ship Ceres, Wilmington, DE.”  Estimated to bring $40/60,000 it was engraved by Gilpin in 1835 while at sea and has been proclaimed as a key source in unlocking the mysteries of a historic and highly regarded series of scrimshaw sperm whales’ teeth.  Microscopic analysis reveals that the tooth was exquisitely decorated in the traditional pinprick method, where the artist’s image on paper was dampened and laid across the ivory tooth; then a series of dots was made with a needle to outline the drawing.  A knife was used to draw lines to be filled in with lampblack, a greasy carbon product of burning whale oil.

Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 18 No. 12 — October 2008