B2
THE ASTORIAN • SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 2022
This sperm whale tooth is decorated with a maritime scene.
Scrimshaw: Often brought sailors’
worlds at home and sea together
Continued from Page B1
Sperm whales were espe-
cially important to the whal-
ing industry because of the
highly-prized
spermaceti
stored in the tops of their
heads, which burned brighter
and clearer than other whale
oils.
When fi rst harvested,
sperm whale teeth have a
very rough, ribbed texture.
The sailor would fi le away
the roughest textures on the
surface of the tooth and sand-
paper it down, often with har-
vested sharkskin.
Then they would turn
to the tryworks, where the
whale blubber would be pro-
cessed into the oil whalers
were after.
After rubbing it down with
pumice , the sailors would
begin carving. They would
use jack-knives, sail needles
and other homemade tools
for their designs. Every now
and then, an offi cer would
have special engraving tools
with them for their art.
After the whaler had a
design they were happy with,
they would rub lamp black
over the tooth. Wiping away
the lamp black from the sur-
face would reveal the now-
dark designs that stood out in
the whaler’s engravings.
Scrimshanders were often
carving under less-than-ideal
conditions, which could
aff ect their end product.
Heavy moisture and seaspray
could make surfaces diffi cult
Many scrimshaw pieces were decorative, but others served a
useful purpose, like this seam rubber.
to carve on, and sailors trav-
eling through colder climates
might have frozen fi ngers
that couldn’t carve anything.
There was a wide range of
maritime designs the carvers
would incorporate into their
work. Images of sailing ships
were the most common, but
there were also depictions
of mermaids, sea monsters,
lighthouses and famous bat-
tles at sea.
Whaling voyages could
go on for years — the Nile
famously broke records in
the 1850s and 1860s for a
voyage that went on for 11
years.
Everyone on board had
to come to terms that they
wouldn’t see their friends,
family or homes during
that time. Many scrimshaw
pieces stray from strictly nau-
tical themes and show more
nostalgic images of a sailor’s
home life because of this.
They were also often
given as gifts to loved ones
once the whaling ship had
returned home. Pieces could
be decorative as well as use-
ful. Besides intricate whale
teeth, carvers also crafted
napkin rings, busks for wom-
en’s corsets, pie crimpers,
canes or other household
items.
While some scrimshaw
collectors are more exclusive
about what they consider to
be real scrimshaw, others
say that tortoise shell, wal-
rus tusks and elephant ivory
were also part of the art form.
Whalers would pick these up
at various ports of call, and
the materials were fair game
for carving.
Whatever materials that
may have been used, scrim-
shaw often brought sail-
ors’ worlds at home and sea
together.
Julia Triezenberg is an
educator at the Columbia
River Maritime Museum.
A sperm whale tooth showcases patriotic symbols like Lady Liberty and a bald eagle.
WHALING VOYAGES COULD GO ON
FOR YEARS — THE NILE FAMOUSLY BROKE
RECORDS IN THE 1850S AND 1860S FOR A
VOYAGE THAT WENT ON FOR 11 YEARS.