I'm so in love with this new miniature that I've listed - a lovely bit of scrimshaw on a gold stand. For those of you who don't know, scrimshaw is an old art of engraving designs on ivory (usually whale ivory or walrus tusks) or whalebone.The etchings were then accented with pigments like candle black or soot. The images were traditionally nautical in nature, pictures of ships or whaling scenes. The art first became popular with sailors on whaling ships in the 18th century. Since the ban on commercial whaling and harvesting of ivory from other animals it has fallen off, but some people still do it using manufactured ivory-like materials.
These little scrimshaw sculptures are made of cast metal. I've painted them to look like aged ivory and finished the stand in 18k gold leaf with a shiny black base. It would be a great accent to any miniature nautical scene or New England-style dollhouse. It's also a perfect complement to the miniatures sailor's knot plaque I make, which I based on one made by my grandfather. Both are available on my website or in my Etsy shop. Thanks for looking!
