Whale Tooth | Providence Public Library

Scrimshaw Collection

Title:: Whale Tooth
Description/Caption:: Material: Sperm whale
Date: 19th Century
Basis style
Pigment: black
Tool used: knife
Design description: Face ship with gun ports shown from starboard side and ship shown from stern; below ships are 3 whaleboats with men, numerous spouting whales, and a whale ship shown from the port side. Wavy line about 1 1/4" from cut end circles tooth.
Collection:: Scrimshaw Collection
Item Type:: Decorated tooth
Item ID:: nwcS028
Author/Creator:: Artist: A. N. ? (these initials probably added later)
Dimensions:: Length: 7 1/8" 18 cm; Width: 2 7/8" 7.2 cm; Thickness: 2 3/16" 5.4 cm
Location:: PPL Special Collections
Source:: Paul C. Nicholson Whaling Collection
Notes:: Condition: very dirty; Lengthwise cracks around tip; on face, 1 5/8" from base, on Verso, 6 3/4" from base. Large chips from cut end; chips out of surface, lower ship, and sea; surface abrasion. Location: Box 2; Cataloged by Judith N. Lund - Date: 19 April 1999. Other notes: base cut straight The lightly scratched initials A. N. and a crude sloop are not pigmented; they were probably added later.
Tags/Keywords:: scrimshaw, tooth, whale, whalebone, whaling

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