Scrimshaw Sperm Whale Tooth, mid 19th Century

mid 19th century

On the obverse of this tooth, eight men in a rowboat are pulling offshore for a ship in the distance. One man, probably an officer or mate, is standing in the stern directing the crew to row; a sketchy American flag is flying at the bow. Farther offshore, a fogbank is rolling in and obscuring the hulls of more ships offshore; only their upper sails are visible. On the far left, another ship is visible, but its upper masts and rig are missing. The absence of any pinholes in the composition indicates a freehand carving; the reverse side is polished but undecorated.