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Scrimshaw, Whale's Tooth

Decorative Arts and Design

One of the main sources of lighting fuel in the colonial period and well into the nineteenth century was whale oil. Consequently, hunting for whales was an important part of the economy. The long ocean voyages that characterized this enterprise afforded the sailors a great deal of free time, during which they sometimes made crafts out of unusable parts of the whale such as the teeth. In nautical slang, scrimshaw denotes any precision mechanical work.

MAKER Unknown
MEDIUM Whale's tooth
  • Possible Place Made: United States
  • DATES ca. 1830–1870
    DIMENSIONS 5 5/8 x 2 1/8 in. (14.3 x 5.4 cm) mount (display dimensions): 6 × 4 × 2 5/8 in. (15.2 × 10.2 × 6.7 cm)  (show scale)
    ACCESSION NUMBER X613.2
    CREDIT LINE Brooklyn Museum Collection
    PROVENANCE Prior to 1969, provenance not yet documented; before 1969, acquired by the Brooklyn Museum, acquisition method not documented.
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    CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Sperm whale's tooth with engraved decoration rubbed with black pigment. On one side, two masted sailing vessel flying American flags; on other, lighthouse with two vessels in background and four flying birds. Condition: Good. Chips around inner edge at base, several cracks working up from base.
    MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
    CAPTION Unknown. Scrimshaw, Whale's Tooth, ca. 1830–1870. Whale's tooth, 5 5/8 x 2 1/8 in. (14.3 x 5.4 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Museum Collection, X613.2. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, X613.2_view01_PS11.jpg)
    IMAGE overall, X613.2_view01_PS11.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2022
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    RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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    Unknown. <em>Scrimshaw, Whale's Tooth</em>, ca. 1830–1870. Whale's tooth, 5 5/8 x 2 1/8 in. (14.3 x 5.4 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Museum Collection, X613.2. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, X613.2_view01_PS11.jpg)