Author: Andrew Perkins

Mystery Artist 52 – E. Okleasik artist mark on Walrus Tusk

Posted on by Andrew Perkins
Mystery Artist 52 E. Okleasik on walrus tusk

From Alaska comes a nice clean walrus tusk scrimshawed in the late 1980’s to early 1990 depicting a fishing trawler with a leaping fish. Nicely done, wonderful balance of scrimshaw to ivory, not heavily detailed or shaded. The signature is E.Okleasik and was given to the owner’s grandfather from a gentleman that moved to Alaska in the 1950’s.

Mystery Artist 52 - closer view of the scrimshaw depicting a leaping fish and a trawler in the background.

The owners would love to know more about the artist, and are curious if it is real ivory, which I believe it is by the looks of the crazing and the ink working its way underneath the cracks. The base is sealed, but you can see the scribe lines of the scrimshaw near it, definitely not molded.

Signature under the trawler “E. Okleasik”

Does anyone know the artist E. Okleasik or have any information on them? Write your comments below, we’d love to see more of their work.

Mystery Artist 51 – S and Harpoon

Posted on by Andrew Perkins


A tie-tack with an artist’s mark of the letter S with a harpoon is the latest head scratcher brought to my attention. Appears to be ivory, possibly walrus, though it is missing the “tapioca” grain that often appears on the ivory from that species, I’m just basing my assumption on the creamy color. It could well be mammoth, whale, elephant or other ivory. I like the artist mark, its simplicity and the integration of the harpoon and rope makes it quite memorable.
Artist mark S with harpoon - mystery artist 51

Anyone familiar with the artist or the mark? Please feel free to write your comments below.

Mystery Artist 51 – via Sarah – SOLVED in one day!

Posted on by Andrew Perkins
Framed scrimshaw oval – Mystery Artist 51

From Sarah: ” I recently acquired 2 scrimshaw pieces and I was hoping you could help me ID the artist. Also, I’m not sure what material it is either.”

The oval is 3″x2″ (76.2mmx50.4mm) She also attempted the hot pin test with no definite results. Aquired in New Jersey, it’s a nice looking piece with a lot of detail and the initials of the artist – something you don’t usually find on mass produced items. Sadly it’s difficult to make out the exact initials.

Close-up of Mystery Artist 51

The typical reproductions are larger ovals and often in portrait mode, usually measuring approximately 4″x5″ (101.6mmx126.4mm) and often have the name of the ship on a banner, many times mounted in an oval frame. It looks like there is a small amount of color as well, though this may be an affect of the camera.

Initial on Mystery Artist 51

Even on a close-up, the initials are barely discernable. The images came in at 640x480px, so magnifying hasn’t helped.

Does anyone recognize this artist? Please add your comments below!

Solved! Thanks to “The Scrimshaw Collector’s Guild“, especially Bill Feeney and Jonathan Laubin. Now that I look at it, I can see “SB” more clearly. In case anyone is interested, as of 7/15/2020 there is another one for sale on Etsy.

Hiss! A New Scrimshaw by Rod Lacey

Posted on by Andrew Perkins

Rod Lacey has shared his latest scrimshaw on a fascinating letter opener that he could only obtain as a gift.

“I have chosen this picture because I have a small letter opener that I have had for many years, it has an ivory handle, and the size and shape should fit.
The ivory is Dugong Ivory from Thursday Island at the northern tip of Eastern Australia. A local made it and gifted it to me. The handle is fashioned from Dugong Ivory, and blade is from Pearl Oyster Shell. I embellished it with 925 wires that I have rhodium plated.
Length 17.5cm x 2.5 (6.89″ x 0.98″) wide, weight all up 78 grams (2.75 oz).
[Dugong are also known as “sea cows” among other names, and are scattered throughout the world in warmer waters. As an endangered species they cannot be hunted. Rod writes: “The only legal way to acquire a piece is to have it gifted to you by an Aboriginal/Torris Strait Islander.”

Stage 1 -14/6/20
This picture shows the Letter Opener ready to be scrimshawed.

Stage 1 -14/6/20
This picture shows the Letter Opener ready to be scrimshawed.
Stage 2- 14/6/20
This picture shows the ivory with the snake picture attached and ready to have the basic outline cut out.
Stage 3- 14/6/20
This picture shows the outline cut out and with black oil paint applied. I will now do the background.
Stage 4- 17/6/20
This picture shows the background finished. Next, I will do the snake in the grass.
Stage 5- 18/6/20
This picture shows the finished scrimshaw. I will do the base next.
Scrimshawed letter opener on cradled on it's handmade base with the title scrimshawed on a piece of mammoth ivory embellished with mother of pearl
Stage 6- 20/6/20
This picture shows the base with the Paper Opener sitting in its cradle. Not sure what the wood is but it has a fantastic grain. I have fitted a mammoth ivory nameplate with Mother of Pearl embellishments, I borrowed this idea from a David Adams scrimshaw.

Rod Lacey Knife Scrimshaw – The Wild Beast

Posted on by Andrew Perkins

Rod Lacey is a busy and productive artist. This is from February of 2020, on a knife he’d made some years back. My comments and edits will appear in italics from an email he’d recently sent.

“[This] scrimshaw will be on a “Fighter Knife” that I made years ago. The knife blade is 440c stainless steel with Snake Wood, Sterling Silver spacers, and a Whale tooth handle.
The overall length of the knife is 320 mm, with a weight of 441 grams.”

Stage 1- 4/2/2020
The knife with an ivory handle

Stage 2- 5/2/2020
This picture shows the knife handle with the picture attached ready to cut out. (at this point the picture is just adhered to the handle, no scrimshaw has occured. If you look closely you can see where Rod has cut the paper so it will lay properly)

Stage 3 -8/2/2020
This picture shows the Tiger cut out and black paint applied. I have masked the remainder of the knife with masking tape so as not to mark the knife as I work.
A problem had arisen, when I added the black paint; the ivory is quite porous and has soaked up the paint and left a cloudy effect on the ivory, I may have overheated the ivory when I polished it.
I think I will be able to overcome this problem, “here’s hoping.” (“here’s hoping” is a well-known saying of the world-famous “Hacker,” Gareth Herring.)

Stage 4 – 20/2/2020
This picture shows the areas with black finished; now the fun starts, the color.

Stage 5- 21/2020
The background is now complete; next, I will do the Tiger. Because of the curvature of the Ivory, the picture looks out of proportion.

Stage 6- 21/2/2020
The colour is now applied, I have now finished the scrimshaw, its time for the base.

Stage 7- 22/2/2020
Not sure what wood this is, I found it in the offcuts bin at the local timber yard, I made the nameplate from Mammoth ivory.

The finished piece.

To see more of Ron’s stunning work, head over to https://scrimshawaddiction.com.