This delicate swan is nicely carved out of a piece of mammoth ivory. The artist used black ink for the eyes, beak and tail. It is about 2″ across.
Scrimshaw was originally carved or engraved articles made by American whalers usually from baleen or whale teeth and bone. Native Alaskans have been using bone and ivory from walrus, mammoth and other animals for thousands of years as tools, utensils, weapons, and even armor. Today Alaskan artists use these same raw materials in their carvings and other scrimshaw artwork.
