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Jon Laubin was born in Hartford CT, and has been drawing pictures of ships since he was 7 or 8 years old. He remembers his Nautical Engineer father trying to explain, then giving up, why his childish drawings were incorrect. Sailing lessons & a sailboat at age 14, a 20 year career in the U.S. Navy, traveling to foreign ports, exposure to ships of all kinds, and a love of nautical antiques, contributed to understanding the principles of accuratly drawing sailing ships. Around 1980, Jon started drawing and etching reverse scrimshaw on slate, which made nice custom coffee table tops and wall hangings. In 1981, Jon discovered whale teeth scrimshaw while visiting Mystic CT. Unable to afford antique prices, Jon started building a library of scrimshaw books & photos, buying the odd whale tooth or elephant ivory tusk tip, and started scrimming. Jon presented many of his old navy comrades with his early scrimshaws. His scrimshaw style emulates the journeyman whaler-scrimshander of the Victorian age. Initially, shops selling scrimshaw wanted more artsy-craftsy subjects, and would not offer a good price. John now sells his scrims via eBay and recently on this websites auctions, mostly to collectors appreciative of his unique style. He also accepts commissions, working out subject matter, matrix & price with the collector before starting. Jon likes to scrim on whalebone and steller sea cow bone, finding these unusual matrices ideal for expressing his scrimwork, just as a whaler-scrimshander would have done 150 years ago. |
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