Tuesday, February 19, 2013

bunny scrimshaw

I imagine this must be true with any job, but sometimes the "funnest" projects are the ones you do just because you want to do them.  :-)  This is a little thank-you present I did to surprise a friend who did me a big favor recently.  The subject matter is a long story which would take way too much 'splainin' so let's just say the recipient is quite pleased!  And thus, so am I!

This was originally a round cross-section of tusk.  It cracked through the middle, so I broke it in half and polished up this nice half-circle.  Stupidly I forgot to photograph the side view (duh) but it's about 3/8 of an inch thick.  The markings you see around the rounded edge are "Schreger Lines."  This is the cross-grain of the ivory tusk, I did not create that pattern.


"Bunny"
multicolor scrimshaw on pre-ban elephant ivory
entire piece is 1.25 inches along the bottom, rabbit is 5/8 inch from nose to tail
by Katherine Plumer, © 2013

not for sale, private collection


Pictured below is an extreme closeup.  The area shown is about 3/8 of an inch wide.  Like what you see?  I do custom work.  :-)