Scrimshaw Gallery - Display Groups           page 2

Tryptics were a popular motif for displaying scrimshawed whale teeth. Here are a few groupings.

Compare the two ladies to the left. Notice that they are virtually identical, except for the sleeves and skirt detail.  This suggests that two copies of the same original magazine image were used, most likely from "Godey's Lady's Magazine".  Using sailing needles, the scrimshanders lightly stipple-transferred each image outline onto two ivory.  The detail was then completed, with each scrimshander customizing each lady's dress. Possibly one scrimshander; possibly two diiferent hands, on two seperate ships.

Large whale tooth scrimshaw carved with Osceola the Seminole Indian armed with a tomahawk, musket and knife. One of his legs with name “Pouvre” and the other with initials “WP”. The tooth is displayed with two 19th century, Western Plains pipe tomahawks and a clipper ship trade card for the vessel “Pocahontas”. Private collection of John F. Rinaldi.

Sperm Whale tooth with a whaling scene, signed “W.L. Roderick”. William Lewis Roderick was ship’s surgeon on the bark “Adventure” of London, 1847-56. Shown with a naval surgeon’s sword and in the background is a trade label from the inside lid of a ship’s medicine chest that was put up by a Portland, Maine firm. Private collection of John F. Rinaldi

A scrimshaw collector's virtual treasure trove.

Return to GALLERY Index

Proceed to page 3

HOME