What kind of items are in an antique scrimshaw?
Antique Scrimshaw: inventory consists of (19th century/period): antique scrimshaw, antique sperm whale teeth, vintage scrimshaw work on antique sperm whale teeth, antique scrimshaw work on antique walrus tusks. Many of these items came from my private collection which have been collected or purchased over a 40 year period.
Are there any real copies of the scrimshaw?
Painstakingly carved deliberate fakes are directed towards the scrimshaw collector and seldom appear in the general market. Pieces of contemporary art and museum copies are usually clearly marked and openly sold for what they are.
How much is a scrimshaw whale’s tooth worth?
A scrimshaw whale’s tooth from the 1850s, depicting a mother, father and young child in a landscape, recently sold for $1,440. And that’s relatively low by today’s pricing standards.
What kind of plastic is a scrimshaw made of?
The great majority of synthetic scrimshaw reproductions are made of manufactured polymer resins, or plastic. Virtually all plastic will absorb long ultraviolet (UV) light and appear a dull matte blue under black light or appear the same color under black light as it appears under white (room) lighting.
What kind of animal is a scrimshaw made of?
But scrimshaw also includes engravings on skeletal whale bone–such as the jaw bone, called panbone–and ivory from other marine mammals such as walrus. Although scrimshaw is widely associated with nautical themes and designs of the 19th century whaling industry, vintage scrimshaw was also produced as tribal art in many cultures.
How can you tell if a scrimshaw is real?
This is regardless of the surface color of the plastic. Natural bone and ivory appear white to yellowish-white under long wave black light regardless of their surface color in white light. Do not use heated pins, open flame, apply acetone, or scratch the surface of the test object.
What was scrimshaw used for in the 19th century?
Although scrimshaw is widely associated with nautical themes and designs of the 19th century whaling industry, vintage scrimshaw was also produced as tribal art in many cultures. Today, scrimshaw is recognized as a unique medium in which present-day artists have developed their own modern themes.
Which is the most commonly faked Scrimshaw carving?
Figs. 1-2 The most commonly faked scrimshaw is the sperm whale tooth. In recent years, the latest generation plastic copies have become somewhat closer in general appearance to 19th century originals. Italicized words in captions below appear as titles or signatures. Figures 3-18 are new.
