Category: FYI

Scrimshaw Cabin Fever Roundup – Go Build Something

Posted on by Andrew Perkins

Scrimshaw Cabin Fever Roundup – Go Build Something  (or find someone who does) to Showcase Your Scrimshaw

It’s been bitter cold here, and I’ve been getting cabin fever as well as the need for making something bigger to showcase my art.  After looking around a bit on the net I found several items that could be enhanced with some smaller pieces of scrimshaw.  Either braving the cold and going into the garage to cut some pieces of nice wood or braving the wet and going into the cellar to cut (I could raise cold water fish in my cellar if I could get a permit – and move the furnace and electrical…), but there are also other alternatives.

I’ve broken the options down into ready-made  (just add scrimshaw) and Inpirations – where you can either purchase and modify or go into your (hopefully heated and dry) workshop and create something.

Inspirations:

Insignia Desk Accessories

http://www.diplomaframe.com/shop-frames-gifts/insignia-desk-accessories.aspx – shows great ideas for DIY projects for desk accessories

http://sell.lulusoso.com/upload/20120315/Wood_Lazy_Susan_office_desk_accessories.jpg – This is a great way to show off multiple pieces of scrimshaw on the fronts.


– Desktop Name Plate (available from Amazon) would work out great with scrimshaw on either side or both,

– Notepad Caddy (also available from Amazon) has a nice space in the front for a large scene.

http://www.kyledesigns.com has a great set of desk accessories you could base your work on or replace the insignia with your own scrimshaw.

Sustainable Bamboo Pencil Holder (available at Amazon)

http://alwaysbasic.tumblr.com/post/9833230130/these-maple-accessories-are-simple-sturdy-and – Easily made by a woodworker or purchase and add scrimshaw. You’ll have to dig around http://houzz.com to find them or other inspiring ideas.
– This Desk Clock has room or a nautical scene or other scrimshaw below (via Amazon)

http://awards-gallery.com/shopping-cart/catalog/display-single-product.php?CSN=C62sP6zN2&PSN=C62sPq5sy&HATC=No&HPP=No – More Desk Accessories…

Medium_cd_holder_1http://www.sawtoothideas.com/woodworking-plan/desks/cd-holder Plans – CD/DVD Holder. Also other great plans there, including a recipe box with a holder on the top.

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Using a magnet and your imagination (along with some scrimshaw) you can create a paperclip “organizer”. Is this where your ship ran aground?

This article was originally appeared on 1-17-2015 in the Scrimshaw.com newsletter.  Get the latest information and inspiring templates free when you sign up for the scrimshaw.com newsletter

Oklahoma Attempts to Prevent the Future Poaching of Extinct Species

Posted on by Andrew Perkins

Opinion

Oklahoma’s  HB1787 is primarily aimed at preventing the sale of elephant ivory and rhino horn. Like New York and New Jersey they also hope to prevent the sale of mammoth ivory – the tusks of an animal that has not roamed the earth for at least four thousand years.  Mammoth ivory is discernible by the Schreger Lines when cut cross-wise as well as by other means (see Robert Weisblut‘s site for more information) as noted in the US Fish and Wildlife’s guide.

It’s easy to entertain conspiracy theories where the government or some other entity with deep pockets and some geeks who are good with genomics are planning on bringing these furry beasts back, especially with the amount of snow we’ve been getting in the northeast, but the real issue is the livelihood of craftspeople, artisans and others who use this finite supply of material to ply their trade.  Knifemakers, jewelers, carvers and others all use this material which reaches the surface annually thanks to frost heaves.

So what do we do – have Alaskans and Canadians gather this material and burn it, possibly powder it and use it for fertilizer? I hear there are even older fossils out there, buried in the earth in sedimentary rock – perhaps we should make trilobite fossils illegal as well.

Posted in FYI

Darrell Morris Scrimshaw Now Complete.

Posted on by Andrew Perkins

Darrel Morris - Nude AngelDarrel Morris is a scrimshaw artist I’ve followed and held in high esteem for years now. his shading and subjects are always the highest quality.  He is currently discounting a work in progress to be delivered to the lucky purchaser for a $150 discount, but once it’s finished it’s going up to the price he typically charges for his work.  With over one month on it so far, she is almost complete. Created on mammoth ivory. You can see a full pic at Pinterest and you can see Darrel’s other work as well as contact him regarding this piece or other works by visiting his portfolio of available work on the Darrel Morris site, or contact him directly at darrel.morris@yahoo.com

Commission Scrimshaw Request

Posted on by Andrew Perkins

Just got this and figured I’d float it up to the top of the blog:

from jess_ru[at]yahoo.com

Greetings!  I am looking to commission a scrimshaw artist to customize a viking drinking horn.  I aim to allow a lot of artistic freedom with the design.  My only request is that the design in some way pays homage to the Viking god Ullr and incorporates the family name Larson.  Any interested parties?

Anyone interested can contact Jess by replacing the [at] in the address above with the @ sign (we do this so they won’t get hit with spam).

according to http://ullr.org/WhatTheHeckIsUllr.html:

“He excels in archery and in skiing and lives in his hall Ydalir (“yew dales”). He is regarded as the son of Sif and the stepson of Thor. When the giantess Skadi divorced Njord she married Ull. In Norse mythology,Ullr is a son of Sif and a stepson of Thor.”

Posted in FYI