POLYCHROME SCRIMSHAW WHALE'S TOOTH WITH LADY LIBERTY AND OTHER PATRIOTIC IMAGES Obverse depicts Lady Liberty holding a flag in her l..

POLYCHROME SCRIMSHAW WHALE'S TOOTH WITH LADY LIBERTY AND OTHER PATRIOTIC IMAGES Mid-19th Century

Obverse depicts Lady Liberty holding a flag in her left hand while an eagle drinks from a chalice she holds aloft in her right hand. Above the eagle is an arch of sunrays and "Liberty" in minuscule lettering. Lady Liberty is surrounded by a drum, shield, cannon, cannonballs, spears and other implements. Foliate cartouche at base. Reverse with a stylized American flag at tip, a ship portrait at center and a fraternal montage at base. A long verse, with the lettering formed as an arch, frames the montage, which includes sunrays, a dove, a cross, an open Bible, a sword, a beehive, an anchor and olive branches. Scalloped sunburst design at base. One edge with a sun face above three hills. Other edge with a five-pointed star above a monument or altar. Length 4".

This tooth is by the same hand as the Walton/Creamer tooth in the Peabody Essex Museum collection. Another tooth by the same hand was part of the Barbara Johnson Whaling Collection, Sotheby's New York, September 24-25, 1982, Lot #230.

Provenance:

Nina Hellman, Nantucket, Massachusetts. Hellman indicated she discovered the tooth at the Brimfield Antiques Show.

The Collection of Paul Vardeman.

Condition: Slight roughness at tip. Base cut nearly to solid ivory and is plugged with a wooden mount for a stand (stand not included).

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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