Barn Owl Watching

“Barn Owl Watching” black and white scrimshaw on ancient walrus tusk ivory slab by David Smith. Alert barn owl scouring a field looking for a meal. Nice touch with the barbed wire. Note how the light on the fence post comes from the left. Small details like this set Smith’s work apart. The barn owl is the most widely distributed species of owl in the world and one of the most widespread of all species of birds. Done on a very large slab of walrus ivory, this is from the collection of one of our clients who is no longer with us.