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6045
Mid-19th Century
TWO POLYCHROME SCRIMSHAW WHALE'S TEETH ILLUSTRATING BYRON POEM "MAZEPPA"
Obverses of both teeth illustrate the same scene of Lord Byron's 1819 narrative poem "Mazeppa", with a man tied naked to a steed as it crosses a river while being chased by fearsome wolves, as a raven hovers above and red bolts of lightning strike down from a dark cloud. Reverse of one tooth with a starboard portrait of a gunship flying a signal flag from the mainmast and an American flag at the stern. Reverse of other tooth with a full-length portrait of the famous actress Celine Celeste in her favorite role as "Miami, Huntress of the Mississippi", sourced from a print published in The Illustrated London News in 1845. (A similar view of Celeste as Miami was also published by Currier & Ives.) She is depicted standing on a pattered carpet, wearing a tiered short dress, a headdress and feather in her hair, and a rifle slung across her back.
Lengths 5.25" and 5.75".
Condition: Bases cut flat, with age lines/cracks extending from base into scenes, the longest approx. 1.5". Chips/fractures and age lines at tips. Other scattered old abrasions.
**This item contains animal and/or plant material and is not available for international delivery without CITES and other necessary permits, licenses, and certificates. Obtaining the appropriate documentation is the sole obligation of the buyer. Eldred's is not able to assist with obtaining the appropriate documentation, and we offer no assurances that the documentation can be obtained. Please be aware of current international, domestic and your own local regulations and bid accordingly.**
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.
**This item contains animal and/or plant material and is not available for international delivery without CITES and other necessary permits, licenses, and certificates. Obtaining the appropriate documentation is the sole obligation of the buyer. Eldred's is not able to assist with obtaining the appropriate documentation, and we offer no assurances that the documentation can be obtained. Please be aware of current international, domestic and your own local regulations and bid accordingly.**
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.
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Provenance:
Tooth with actress portrait from Frank Sylvia, Sr., Nantucket, Massachusetts, thence to the Collection of Paul Vardeman, sold at Eldred's, The Marine Sale, July 25, 2019, Lot #109.
Notes:
"Mazeppa" is based on the legend of Ivan Mazepa (1639–1709), a military leader of Ukraine. In the poem, Mazeppa is tied to a steed as punishment for consummating his love with the beautiful Theresa. The horse is taunted and set loose, galloping across Eastern Europe with boundless energy. Mazeppa nearly dies twice, but one time is restored when the horse swims across a river. He also has a vision of a raven flying overhead, ready to feast on his corpse.
These two teeth represent the three known examples that depict this same scene from "Mazeppa". All three are believed to be from the same hand and the same jaw. It is also notable these images include lightning, which is incredibly rare to see on scrimshaw.
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March 3, 2026 9:30 AM EST
East Dennis, MA, US
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