Scrimshawed bos taurus...in the Yankee Tradition...

The word Scrimshaw is said, by most, to be of "Dutch" slang, meaning "idle work". It is an artform, using a single needle, or now-a-days, scriber, or graver, and lamp black, now-a-days, India Ink.

Where ever the word came from, it is an artform, that in the Yankee Tradition, was developed by whalers, about 150 to 200 years ago. They would generally etch pictures that depicted stories of things encountered during their voyages, that often lasted for up to three years, or memories of home.

There is also a similar Eskimo tradition, done in almost the exact same method of hand etching. Though the etching is the same, the meaning is much deeper in the culture, and began much earlier in time. It became popular, in the lower United States, after the name, "scrimshaw" had been derived, so they were sort of combined as one artform, being performed in the same "basic" method. The materials used may have been different, but the method was the same... So Scrimshaw became a larger encompassing artform.

Still it was the Artform that I was taught back when I was 11 years old. I was born and raised in New Bedford, Mass., the onetime Whaling Capitol of the World. And loved the ocean from my earliest memories. And the tails of the sea from much earlier times, when the whales had a chance in the fight (before exploding harpoons). There was "Moby Dick"... the "Old Man and the Sea"... there were Pirates... it was all of a grand scale. I loved it all.

So Scrimshaw, and I were a natural.

My New Hard Core Designs...Sorta Puner, Sorta Metal...

I have contracted to many producers over the years, and in doing, worked on many different materials. I began with Whale's Teeth, until the embargo that I welcomed. I'm sorry that it also hurt the Eskimo who would only hunt what they needed. But Giant Factory Ships...They are glutons. And the Whales never stood a chance. I have worked on elephant ivory, until the embargo. While everything before the embargo was covered by a dozen different licenses, too many unethical people still managed to bring in poached tusks. In between all of this, I also Scrimshawed mother of pearl, hippo teeth, Ancient ivories and teeth, and bone from walrus, Mastadon tusk, Mamoth tusk, a million different types of jewelers imported bone, and plastics of many kinds... sea shell, etc.

About twenty years ago, while also working as a meat cutter, (yeah I cook too..lol) I started working with "Domestic Bone" from domestic livestock. It was the only substance that made sence to me. It was a left over from what we eat, and would be in plentiful supply. Why just grind it all into bone meal and fertilizer?

So I started working with it. There were many problems with most of it. But Bovine, bos taurus, and some domestic pig, sus domestica, had round bones big enough. With Bovine I can even use "some" ribs. And the colors you can get if you take your time with the process. They don't crack that way, the color is every bit as pretty as ivory or whale's teeth. And the texture can be made perfect for scrimshawing.

So, 44 years later, I'm still scrimshawing, on Domestic Bone... and loving it. And Recycling also. What? This pretty thing, in the garbage... never.

And could you please pass the roast???