Scrimshaw Walrus Tusk

PeriodCirca 1850 - 1860

Place MadeProbably United States

MediumSperm whale tooth, ink

Dimensions4.72 × 1.26 × 1.61 in. (12 × 3.2 × 4.1 cm)

ClassificationsDrawings

Credit LineGift of Miss J. Mabel Brown, 1982

Object number1982.445

DescriptionSperm whale tooth, with a rounded, blunt end and a roughly cut and finished root stub, etched with an elaborate scene. Lady Liberty is depicted at right, with her streaming dark hair capped with a kerchief and band ornamented with stars. She wears a loose bodice and full length skirt, beneath which peep small feet in flat slippers. She wears wide cuffs on her wrists, ornamented with single five-pointed stars. A larger five-pointed star hovers just above her head. Immediately behind her is a United States shield, with vertical stripes and starred top panel. In the background is a three-masted sailing vessel in full sail. The sky above Lady Liberty is ornamented with random uneven dashes. The etched lines are highlighted with dark pigment, perhaps soot or ink, with the addition of small areas of red pigmentation in the U.S. shield and some of the sky texturing.
NotesAlthough the name of this scrimshaw artist is unknown, he produced a relatively sophisticated and elaborate scene on this sperm whale's tooth. The addition of small areas of red pigmented highlights elevates this scene, providing contrast. While some sailors parlayed their artistic talents into full-time scrimshaw artistry, most sailors etched their scenes on whale teeth, bones, walrus and narwhal tusks, and other marine ivory simply as a way to pass the time during extended sea voyages. Pieces such as this one were often made for loved ones at home as souvenirs. The use of the American shield identifies the piece as being made by a sailor aboard an American vessel. The donor, Josephine Mabel Brown, was born in Keyport, Monmouth County, on 13 August 1858, a daughter of Cornelius H. Brown (1830 - 1905) and Emaline F. Strong (1829 - 1888). Her father was the leading builder and contractor in Keyport, erecting many of the churches and commercial buildings that still stand today. Miss Brown lived all her life in the house where she was born at 162 Broadway. After graduating from the Keyport Graded School, she taught for several years before working in the law offices of George W. Brown and Henry E. Ackerson. For many years she served as librarian at the Keyport Free Public Library. Josie, as she was called, was an avid student of genealogy and local history. . Miss Brown was a member of the Historical Association for more than fifty years, and a generous donor to its museum and library collections. She died on 23 August 1951, having just turned ninety-three. Interment took place in the family plot at Green Grove Cemetery in Keyport. Her niece, Miss J. Mabel Brown (1885 - 1980), who made her home with her aunt, served as a trustee of the Association from 1944 to 1972, and as President from 1948 to 1950. Given Keyport's long-standing history as a bustling marine town, it is possible that Miss Brown acquired the scrimshaw tooth from a local resident or collector.

Collections