ELABORATELY ENGRAVED SCRIMSHAW WHALE'S TOOTH Obverse depicts a building, possibly an American consulate in Africa or South America,...

ELABORATELY ENGRAVED SCRIMSHAW WHALE'S TOOTH Mid-19th Century

Obverse depicts a building, possibly an American consulate in Africa or South America, flying an American flag off a flagpole. The scene is centered below a geometric-patterned Rococo arch, with a floral garland above, a fruit garland below and an acanthus leaf tendril down the left side. Obverse depicts angels protecting two reclining children from a fearsome man. Scene is centered below a festooned arch entwined with a fruiting and flowering vine, with a butterfly hovering above. Below the scene is a swag and tassel design. Length 7".

Illustrated in Scrimshaw and Scrimshanders, Whales and Whalemen by E. Norman Flayderman (New Milford, Ct.: N. Flayderman & Co., Inc., 1972), p. 64 and 66.

Marked "NH150E" on base, indicating the piece was from the collection of Meylert Armstrong of New Hope, Pennsylvania, the preeminent scrimshaw collector from the 1920s to the 1950s. When E. Norman Flayderman purchased much of Armstrong's collection, forming the nucleus of his own collection, he marked the items "NH", standing for "New Hope", followed by a series of numbers. A substantial number of the items illustrated in Flayderman's book are from Armstrong's collection, some with the "NH" mark visible.

Condition: No significant wear or damage noted, save for some unobtrusive age lines at tip.

This item will not be shipped internationally without a CITES permit. Obtaining CITES and any other necessary permits is the obligation of the buyer.

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