“Wolf in Winter” color scrimshaw on ancient walrus tusk ivory by David Adams. Wolf carefully stalks an unseen prey after heavy winter snowfall. A badger, hidden in his burrow, watches. The shading of the snow on the branches is simply amazing. One can feel the extreme cold and almost hear the rippling water in the stream. Note how Adams has worked the distant forest in the background. Wildlife scrimshaw does not get any better than this. Primo heavy chunk of ancient walrus tusk ivory completes the picture.
“Epic Undersea Battle” black and white scrimshaw on ancient walrus tusk ivory artifact by Gerry Dupont. Sperm whale and giant squid battle deep in the ocean’s depths. It was not uncommon to discover large sections of flesh torn out of the massive whales by this squid. This is done on a piece of ancient ivory used as a tool hundreds of years ago. Interesting that just enough enamel was left to create a work of art after all of the time it was buried. Great color in the ivory.
“Alaskan Grizzly Bear” black and white scrimshaw on ancient walrus tusk ivory by Geoff Olson. Hungry grizzly stands up to get a better view. Scary sight, indeed. We know it is an Alaskan grizzly because it was done by an Alaskan scrimshander. From the collection of one of our clients who is no longer with us. Big chunk of fossil walrus.
“Brown Bear Duo” color scrimshaw on ancient walrus tusk ivory by Dennis Sims. Alaskan scrimshander, Sims, creates his own bases, always interesting. This one was part of a native sled runner hundreds of years ago. Nice work here at a bargain price. From the collection of one of our clients who is no longer with us.
“Woman with Lantern” black and white scrimshaw on ancient walrus tusk ivory by David Smith. Moody depiction of mysterious woman with lantern appearing to signal, or guide, a full rigged clipper in dense fog. Is the woman attempting to alert the ship of its danger, or is she a modern day siren guiding them to their destruction? One of the many great things about art are the questions raised over and over many years. Think Mona Lisa’s smile. Large chunk of fossil walrus (14.6 oz.) mounted on beautiful bubinga stand complete the picture.
“Smiling Mermaid” black and white scrimshaw on ancient walrus tusk ivory artifact by David Adams. Nestled in shadows, this mermaid seems quite pleased. One wonders just what caused this pleasant smile on her charming face. Every piece can tell a story with just a little imagination. This is done on a stunning artifact used as a scraping tool hundreds of years ago by natives in the Northern Bering Sea area. Not much of this type of ivory available today.
“Pensive Blonde Mermaid” black and white scrimshaw on ancient walrus tusk ivory artifact by David Adams. One wonders just what is going through this attractive mermaid’s mind. She definitely has a plan. Approaching mariners beware. Amazing detail in the rocky shoreline by equally amazing scrimshander, Adams. He rarely does mermaids these days, so this one is a welcome addition. Ivory probably used as a digging tool hundreds of years ago.
“Serengeti Panorama” color scrimshaw on complete ancient walrus tusk by Mary Gregg Byrne. Serengeti translates to “endless plains” in the Maasai language. Byrne has depicted some of the better known inhabitants, human and animal, that one associates with the Serengeti. Mary Gregg Byrne was one of the originators of contemporary West Coast scrimshaw in the early 70s. She has not done any scrimshaw for more than a decade, so collectors always pay attention whenever a Byrne piece appears on the market today. This was probably done in the mid 1980s and is from the collection of one of our clients who is no longer with us. When his estate shipped it to us it was poorly packaged and the tip was broken off. We decided to have it repaired, which took over a year start to finish, and have a new stand created for it. Scrimshander, Matt Stothart, also assisted in the restoration process. The finished product is amazing. This is a very large, heavy tusk that weighs 5 pounds, 5.6 ounces! Not many left of this size and condition today.
“Momma Bear and Cubs” highly detailed carving on ancient walrus tusk ivory by talented unknown carver. Ears pricked forward, all bears sense something. Little details, like the ears, are evidence of a masterful job. This one is a winner all the way around.
“Two Bears with Cub” created by talented unknown carver on ancient walrus tusk ivory. Note how the cute cub has been completely polished, waiting for its winter coat. Nice color in the ivory the result of minerals that have been absorbed into the ivory over hundreds and hundreds of years during which it was buried in the northern Bering Sea area. Fine work.