About Scrimshaw.com
Welcome to the New Site!
Scrimshaw.com
shows scrimshaw on eco-friendly and other materials. We hope you find your visit enjoyable and educational. We’re still working on the format, so things may look different tomorrow!
Tools
We have several new areas, including Tools, Materials and Mystery Artist!
Is there something about scrimshaw you’d like to know more about? Send us a quick email! We’ll be glad to answer any questions you may have, and may even devote a whole category to your question!
The origin of the word Scrimshaw is uncertain, but we know that this art has been practiced since revolutionary times. It did not, however, receive wide spread recognition until President John F Kennedy, an enthusiastic collector, brought Scrimshaw to the public eye.
The American Whaling Fleet has ceased to exist. However, this art is being carried on by a few American artisans. Scrimshaw is the indigenous art form of the American Whaleman. In his idle hours of
cruising for whale, he devoted himself to fashioning articles and jewelry of whale ivory. Today, the ivory trade in the United States has been reduced to “pre-embargo ivory” – ivory that was brought into the states before sanctions were set in place; hippo ivory – which is taken from animals that have been culled from the herds or that have killed human population; and fossilized ivory – ivory from ancient walrus and mastodons. Here at scrimshaw.com, we are utilizing this and other alternatives. One of
Materials to scrimshaw
which is a nut palm (also called “vegetable ivory”) which polishes to an incredible likeness of ivory, and whose hardness and durability rivals that of ivory as well. There are also other resources, such as fossilized ivory, antler (which drop off every year – if you can get them before the raccoons do!), and more. If you are a Scrimshander and would like to show your work here, I’d be more than happy to provide links to your site for free. Simply contact me at aperkins@scrimshaw.com
You can learn the art of scrimshaw, a craft that began two centuries ago by sailors who perfected their craft during their long voyages at sea, and continues today. Create a piece of history with America’s true art form: scrimshaw!
A note about the links in this site: Many links to books, tools and materials are affiliate links. These links bring a small percentage of revenue to scrimshaw.com which allows us to update and maintain our site. Thank you in advance for purchasing through our links!
