Whale Ivory Scrimshaw Engraved Trinket Box, (possibly unique), captioned "A Present from My Brother" with the engraved name "L.A. Beer" who was probably the man who commissioned the box, attributed to William Hill, circa 1830. The box was made from a single top section of a whale’s tooth and was sliced near the bottom and filled out so that the inset groove around the top section fits inside the lower section when the box is together as though it is a single piece. The bottom of the tooth is flat enabling it to sit on a table. The tooth is engraved with several images typically found on Hill Brothers works.
The obverse depicts at the top a sun-face above Neptune in his horse drawn chariot. Below Neptune are two engraved whaling scenes. The reverse depicts a sailor with his sweetheart and to the right a large house. Above is a bird holding an envelope in his beak, along with an image of hands shaking. Above is an eye, a rose and a standing woman leaning on an anchor with an engraved word above “Hope”. The bottom narrow section of the box has the inscription “A Present from My Brother” appearing between a pair of elaborate borders that rap completely around the base. At the bottom of the base is an engraving of an alligator consuming a person. The bottom of the box has an inlaid small coin, dated "1821" and above the coin is an engraved banner with the name “L.A. Beer”. It is likely that he was the recipient of the box. The remainder of the base is profusely engraved with several images. (SC1289)
Condition: The tooth has a mellow patina and is in excellent condition.
Dimension: Height 2 5/8; Width 2 ¼ inches.
Reference: The box is described and illustrated in the book “Wandering Whalemen and their Art…”, by Alan Granby and published by Hyland Granby, page 200. The box described above is larger and is similar in its engraving to the box signed by one of the Hill Brothers.
