scrimshaw

SCRIMSHAW

Scrimshaw is one of the few original American art forms, originally done by the crews of whaling ships, to pass the time on their long voyages. These artists engraved images upon the otherwise valueless whales teeth that accumulated on board, drawing scenes from their lives or portraits of their loved ones.

I began doing scrimshaw back in 1973 when I was employed by the Alaska Silver and Ivory Company in Bellingham, Washington. I was always most attracted to the most traditional subject matter- nautical scenes, though unlike the original scrimshanders I use only fossil ivory (mammoth or fossil walrus) and often use color.

Below are some examples of my work. Please note that these pieces are not for sale.

For information about custom orders you can e-mail me or write to:

Michael Cohen

472 Main St

Marlborough, NH 03455

603 876-3498

Click on the following categories to see more examples