Scrimshaw
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Scrimshaw is one of the last surviving American Folk Arts. Two hundred
years ago Yankee Sailors could not find the words to describe the new
horizons they were encountering so they helped create this art. Eskimo’s
in Alaska with cultures dating back to 4000 B.C. hand engraved on whale
and walrus ivory which were left from the animals they used for food,
clothing and shelter.
Scrimshaw Artists use Ox, Antique Whales Teeth, Elephant Tusks, Fossil
Walrus and Prehistoric Mastodon Ivory as raw material. The ivory itself is
often in the soil for hundreds and even thousands of years before being
found. This is the reason for the ivory’s beauty. Each item is unique and
no two items are alike.
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