Outstanding highly detailed Scrimshaw Whales tooth Titled at the top of the obverse " The Ship Romeo of NB" American circa 1850. The obverse depicts at the top a reclining woman wrapped in a flowing Banner stating “Ship Romeo of NB (New Bedford)”. Below on the left is a Whaleship with davits for holding whale boats and to the right another view of the same vessel coming towards the viewer at an angle and flying an American flag from the peak of the main mast. Both views of the ship show false gun ports and highly detailed rigging, sails and sail seems and reef points. The revere shows a nude woman with pearls reclining on a fancy detailed upholstered couch. Flanking the couch are a pair of fancy columns supporting a swagger like curtain that runs from one column to the next. Between the curtain down to the couch is what appears as a fancy patterned wallpaper or fabric. Circling around the tip is a detailed leaf and vine border and around the base of the tooth is a fancy semi-circular pattern. Below the couch is a n area showing a planked wood floor and the nail heads at the edges of each plank. The tooth was very well polished by the scrimshander that created it and he left some of the natural whale tooth grain visible on the very top and bottom of the un-scrimshawed surfaces. Given the Victorian era’s modesty there are very few whales’ teeth depicting nude woman. It seems reasonable to project that the scrimshaw artist who engraved this tooth had in his mind this idyllic woman which he showed both on the flowing banner and on the other side of the tooth laying on the couch. Having romantic thoughts regarding this woman he factiously named the ship “Romeo”. (SC1327)
Condition: The tooth is in excellent condition. The engraving is very crisp and has no losses. The tooth has a warm deep patina throughout.
Dimensions: Length 7 Inches, Height 2 3/4 Inches
