B1
THE ASTORIAN • SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 2022
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THE ASTORIAN • SATURDAY, JAN. 29, 2022 • B1
Not all scrimshaw was made from whalebone. Some whalers would pick up tortoise shells, ostrich eggs or other materials to
carve during their travels.
SCRIMSHAW
Art of American whalers
By JULIA TRIEZENBERG
For The Astorian
S
crimshaw, or artwork made typically from whale
bones or teeth, is often considered one of the fi rst
truly American folk arts.
American whaling ships based on the East Coast during
the 1700s and 1800s invested in their art as a way to pass the
time onboard during long voyages.
Whaling ships had more sailors on board than the aver-
age sailing ship to hunt and process whales when they
found them. However, there was also a lot of down time as
the whalers sought out their targets.
When all the chores onboard were completed and
there was nothing better to do, whalers turned to
scrimshaw.
Most traditional scrimshaw was made from whalebone
or sperm whale teeth.
See Scrimshaw, Page B2
This pie crimper is an example of scrimshaw used for more useful purposes.