Scrimshaw is the name given to scrollwork, engravings, and carvings done in bone or ivory. Typically it refers to the handiwork created by
whalers made from the byproducts of harvesting
marine mammals. It is most commonly made out of the
bones and
teeth of
sperm whales, the
baleen of other
whales, and the
tusks of
walruses. It takes the form of elaborate
engravings in the form of pictures and lettering on the surface of the bone or tooth, with the engraving highlighted using a
pigment, or, less often, small
sculptures made from the same material. However the latter really fall into the categories of
ivory carving, for all carved teeth and tusks, or
bone carving. The making of scrimshaw began on whaling ships between 1745 and 1759 on the
Pacific Ocean, and survived until the ban on commercial whaling. The practice survives as a
hobby and as a trade for commercial artisans. A maker of scrimshaw is known as a
scrimshander. The word first appeared in print in the early 19th century, but the etymology is uncertain.