Engraved Porpoise Tooth, mid-19th century
notes: label: Description
content: The short length and slender proportions of this carved tooth indicate that it came from the mouth of a porpoise rather than a sperm whale. Its rough, dark and mottled surface was badly prepared for the craftsman’s sharpened tool, rendering the details of the carving difficult to see clearly.
label: Description
content: The obverse depicts a man standing inside a circular rope motif; his costume is reminiscent of a Near Eastern or Asian warrior, with padded pants and low hanging blouse and hair in a bun. The surface of the tooth above the figure has horizontal striations, almost like a metal file was applied. On the reverse is another man surrounded by an oval rope motif; he wears a more traditional Western waistcoat and holds a cane in his right hand. Atop his head is a tightly-wrapped turban.
label: Description
content: The pinprick method for preparing the line infill is evident, suggesting that the original drawings from which these were derived was in a periodical of the period. Perhaps one day the source for these enigmatic figures will be identified.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Maritime
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content: Cultures & Communities
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content: Scrimshaw
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content: Transportation
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content: Art
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Dr. & Mrs. Arthur M. Greenwood.
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: DL.388606
label: catalog number
content: 388606
label: accession number
content: 182022
objectType: label: Object Name
content: tooth, whale
label: Object Name
content: scrimshaw tooth, whale
label: Object Name
content: scrimshaw tooth, porpoise
label: Other Terms
content: tooth, whale; scrimshaw
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: tooth, whale (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 4 1/2 in x 1 1/2 in x 7/8 in; 11.43 cm x 3.81 cm x 2.2225 cm