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Museum catalogue: Scrimshaw Collection

 

Scrimshaw

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Accession no.: Y: 62/15/51
Title: Scrimshaw
Description: Tooth 114 mm, polychrome: yellow. Eagle holding snake-like ribbon. (Pair to 62/15/52)
Object type: Scrimshaw
Classified name: 730.235 & 639.245.1
Number of items: 1
Full description:

Whole.: One of a pair of teeth, both with the same strange birds, probably intended to be eagles, even American eagles. Both have traces of yellow overpainting around the eyes and beaks. They may have been derived from the strange eagles found on Chinese export porcelain, but if so they are unlikely to be the work of sailors. They would probably have found eagles to copy more easily on other things: posters, billheads, proclamations, maps and the like.

Related record:
  • Y: 62/15/52
Dimensions: Image:
  • Height: 114mm
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