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Two portraits
Two portraits

Two portraits

Date19th century
Object number00032482
NameScrimshaw whale tooth
MediumSperm whale tooth, ink
DimensionsOverall: 130 x 55 x 40 mm, 0.32 kg
ClassificationsDecorative and folk art
Credit LineANMM Collection
Collections
DescriptionPortrait of a bearded man on one side and the same person without a beard on the other (or meant to be a different person). Scrimshaw engravings provided sailors with a popular pastime at sea and were usually given as gifts to loved ones or made for personal use. However, some whalers are known to have sold their scrimshaw pieces when visiting ports. This tooth is suspected to have been sold to an Australian farming couple for a minimal amount.
HistoryAmerican scrimshaw can trace its roots back to the 19th century whaling industry and was a craft practiced by whale hunters with plenty of spare time on their hands. Using material from marine animals, scrimshanders carved utilitarian objects or engraved purely artistic pieces featuring images of ships, women, whale hunts or memories of home.

The most popular and admired pieces of scrimshaw were carved on Sperm whale teeth. A tooth would be selected and sawn off for stability. It was then filed and sanded to a smooth surface. The basic design, often copied from books and magazine illustrations, would be scratched into the tooth and the engraved lines filled with ink, lamp black or other pigments. As work progressed more detail would be added to finish the design.
SignificanceThis tooth represents 19th century scrimshaw and is an example of portraits made by scrimshanders.