RZM Fine Arts and Antiques Inc: Ask the Appraiser

Happy Holidays to you Jon and thank you for writing this wonderful column each week. I’ve had this odd thing kicking around my house now for quite a while, a long while. It had previously belonged to my father-in-law and then to my late husband. My husband had told me several times it was quite valuable. Since my husband has also since passed away, I now own it. I would really like to know what it is made from, perhaps it is ivory, how old it is and finally is it valuable, as I was told. Forgive me if I’ve sent too many pictures, but I want you to clearly see the drawings on it. I read this column each week and must say, I am very impressed with your knowledge of antiques and history. Thank you for answering my questions.

Renee

New City

The “odd thing” you are in possession of is a rather finely decorated scrimshaw engraved sperm whale’s tooth, dating from the third quarter of the nineteenth century. Allow me to start with the wonderful carved decorations throughout this item. To begin, your scrimshaw celebrates the famous three masted ship; “Joseph Starbuck.” This famous ship was destroyed on its second voyage by intense gale force winds, approximately four miles off the Nantucket coast in 1842. I actually own a painting of this ship in that fatal storm titled “Battling Nature’s Fury.” The Joseph Starbuck was a beautiful and quite valuable ship for that period of time, built of solid oak and copper fastened. The other side of your scrimshaw features an elaborate scene of the deep-water commercial port at Bedford, Massachusetts. Once the whaling capital of the world, today the port is the largest fishing port in the northeast. For your information, scrimshaw is the art of engraving designs onto ivory, bone, walrus tusk and whale tooth, typically referring to the artwork created by sailors. It was an artwork used to help whalers pass the time at sea on long voyages. Life aboard a whaling ship in the nineteenth century included long stretches of time between ports. This fine carving is actually accomplished by the use of a sail needle or small knife. The carving is then darkened by means of black pigments, such as tobacco juice and black soot. The detail on your particular piece is outstanding. Both from an artistic point of view and from a true historical depiction. As to the legality or your item, as per the Marine Mammal Protection Act, scrimshaw crafted before 1989 is legal. So, unlike ivory, which is prohibited for sale, older whale teeth are not prohibited to buy or sell under this law. Therefore, the current value of your nineteenth century scrimshaw is $1,200.00 USD. I trust this answers all your questions regarding this item. Thank you for being an avid reader of this column each week and best wishes for a blessed holiday season.