2009 Scrimshaw Weekend at NBWM             page 2

SUNDAY At 9 o'clock on Sunday morning, twenty-nine (29) attendees took a 1-hour trip in a chartered bus from the NBWM to the Warren (RI) Public Library, to view the scrimshaw collection of the Warren Historical Society.  We spent about two hours in the small upstairs collection room, viewing scrimshawed teeth, one at a time.  Doctor Frank (below) introduced & discussed each tooth.  Rotating into a viewing location was difficult, as some collectors were reluctant to give way for other collectors to loupe-view the ivory.

We walked to a wharfside restaurant for a seafood lunch.  Afterwards, we took our bus to downtown Providence RI, to the main public library, to view the Nicholson Whaling Collection. We were met by Richard Ring, Special Collections Librarian, who had several dozen scrimshaw items laid-out on a large conference table.  He basically gave us carte blanche to handle & loupe view all of the antiques.  For 2-hours, several lively discussions could be heard around the table, as collectors debated and conferred about each item.

Scrimshaw collector Jim Wicks is also a tool expert. Here, Jim loupe-examines tool marks to determine which tool may have been used.  Tool identity can help narrow era when scrimshaw was made.

Scrimshaw expert Michael Gerstein uses his macro lens to photograph scrimshaw detail.

The Nicholson Whaling Collection contains several wooden, baleen, and panbone busks, as pictured upper left. Above, intermediate collector Douglass Moody loupe-examines an intricate pie crimper, which has one square-cut fluted wheel, and one fan-cut jagging wheel. Left, scrimshaw emeritus Don Ridley shares his expertise and insight, with Mike Conley & Craig Sewall.

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