First practiced by early nineteenth century whalers, scrimshaw is acknowledged today as the traditional folk art of the sea.
In the days when sailors often spent years away from home, living hard and dangerous lives hunting for whales, relief from boredom and tension came from engraving illustrations on whalebone and walrus tusks - of ships, whale-hunts, favourite captains, places visited, copies of pictures from books and mythological figures. Reflecting their homesickness, these tough, uncouth sailors often etched incongruously tender images of their sweethearts or wives or flowers from the gardens at home. Twentieth century laws banning the barbaric trade in ivory products halted the art and have made original scrimshaw pieces sought-after collectors' items.
The art of scrimshaw can again be appreciated by all, due to the development of a new polymer ivory. Engraving this man-made material has resulted in scrimshaw work that even experts have mistaken for genuine antique pieces worth hundreds of pounds. This range of hand-cast, hand-finished polymer scrimshaw represents the very best in the re-discovery of this original art.
The grace of this set lies in its compactness.
DIMENSIONS:
115mm (4.5") square. 32mm (1.25") deep.
Delivery to: UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark. France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
P+P ADDED AT CHECKOUT (Some non-uk destinations may require an additional delivery charge for heavier items).