6069

19th Century

MATCHED PAIR OF SCRIMSHAW WHALE'S TEETH WITH EXOTIC PORTRAITS

One tooth depicts Hope on the obverse and a ship caught in a fierce storm on the reverse. Hope, dressed in robes, is standing within a coastal landscape, resting one arm on an anchor and holding a long foliate stalk in the other. In the distance behind her is a ship in rollicking seas, probably the same ship as on the reverse. Hope identified at base, the lettering flanked by floral sprigs. Other tooth depicts "Turk" on the obverse and "Brigand's Wife" on the reverse. The Turk, in traditional attire, is standing in a city landscape, holding an ornate scimitar and smoking a hookah. In the distance behind him is a man on horseback holding up a pennant on a pole. The Brigand's Wife stands in a mountainous landscape, resting her arm on a stone wall. She is wearing a square cap with a long veil, a short-sleeved embroidered dress and cuff bracelets. Both figures are identified in serifed lettering at base, with a minuscule "III N/X" next to "Brigand's Wife". Warm, rich patina.
Lengths approx. 5.75".
Condition: **This item is not available for international delivery. Please be aware of your local regulations regarding the sale of marine mammal parts and bid accordingly. **
Both with age lines and old shallow chips at tips. Bases cut flat and show age lines.


The absence of a condition report does not imply an object is free of defects. All items may have normal signs of age and wear commensurate with their age; these issues will likely not be mentioned in the condition report. Please contact Eldred's before the auction with any condition questions. Questions about condition will not be answered after purchase. Condition reports are provided as a courtesy, and we are not responsible for any errors or omissions. Important note on frames: Frames are not guaranteed to be in the same condition as they are in the item photograph. Due to handling and shipping, many frames, especially antique ones, are prone to losses. If you have questions about the condition of a frame, please contact us prior to the auction. 

  • Provenance: Notes:
    Brigands are gang members that ambush and rob people in forests and mountains.They were especially active in the Balkan Peninsula under Turkish rule, where they targeted foreign occupiers and rich Turks. Folklore romanticized the brigands (or hadjuk) as Robin Hood-type figures who stole from the rich to help the poor while defying unjust laws. Paintings by Leon Cogniet and Leopold Robert, as well as several 19th Century engravings, depict the wives of brigands.

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August 8, 2024 9:30 AM EDT
East Dennis, MA, US

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