20

Mid-19th Century

POLYCHROME SCRIMSHAW WHALE'S TOOTH BY THE BANKNOTE ENGRAVER, DESCENDED IN THE FAMILY OF WHALEMAN WILLARD BROWN

Accompanied by an old typewritten note, folded up and contained in the hollow of the tooth during the consignor's entire childhood, "Scrimshaw - A Sperm whale tooth over 80 years old decorated with scrimshaw. Debby's great, great grandfather sailed on a three year whaling expedition as ships carpenter and did this work to pass the time.". Based on genealogical research, Willard M. Brown (1821-1900), who served as ship's carpenter aboard the New Bedford whaling bark Canton Packet from December 1841 to February 1845, is the ancestor referenced in the tooth and could be the identity of the hitherto anonymous Banknote Engraver.
Obverse depicts an active whaling scene of three six-man whaleboats in pursuit of a pod of seven whales, one of which is waifed and one of which is "hooked up" and spurting blood. A whaleship under sail in the background is flying a rectangular blue pennant from the mainmast. Reverse with a starboard view of a full-rigged ship under full sail being approached by a two-masted schooner pilot boat. The ship is flying a long red and blue pennant from the mainmast, an American flag off the stern, a rectangular flag diagonally bisected in dark and light triangles off the mizzenmast, and a rectangular flag quartered in opposing dark and light triangles off the foremast. The schooner is flying a rectangular white pennant with black ball center off the foremast. Delicate rope, sawtooth, pique and foliate borders encircle tip and base. The ship masts, whaleboat oars and other elements are very deeply engraved.The filigree borders, meticulous engraving and jet black pigment exemplified here are all hallmarks of the Banknote Engraver's work.
Length 5.75".
Condition: Obverse with age crack, approx. 3", extending from base into scene. Reverse with age crack, approx. 2.5", extending from base into scene, and traces of sticker residue. Other relatively small and minor cracks/chips at base, which is cut flat. Very small nick at tip.

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  • Provenance: Note:
    This tooth is discussed in depth and illustrated in "Was He The Banknote Engraver? Scrimshaw Shipmates aboard the Canton Packet, 1841-45" by Stuart M. Frank, published in the Spring/Summer 2021
    Scrimshaw Observer , Vol. 5, No. 2, p. 1. According to the article, Willard Brown was born in Litchfield, Maine, the eldest son of shipcarver Andrew Jackson Brown III. After his one whaling voyage, he worked in ship joinery in Kittery, Maine, ran a boardinghouse and operated restaurants.
    His shipmates on the Canton Packet included Albert Blake Trowbridge and Enard Coan, both noted scrimshanders.

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February 24, 2022 9:30 AM EST
East Dennis, MA, US

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