"Scrimshaw" is the etching of lines ie. words or pictures into any surface, but usually ivory. The lines are etched (scraped) into the surface and then ink is introduced. The excess ink is wiped away leaving that recessed into the etched lines. Scrimshaw is the art of the etching not the material etched into.
I did a little of this during my years as a jeweler. Lorri -------------- Original message -------------- From: Aurelia Loveman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> > I have a couple of scrimshaw bobbins that I was given, decades and > decades ago, by a sailor (the new husband, or about-to-be-husband of > a lacemaker), bobbins that he made while he was on a long voyage. > They could be made of bone; and they could be made of ivory. I know > nothing about scrimshaw, nor what this decoration is applied to. > Unlikely to be bone (bone on a long voyage?). And unlikely to be > ivory, for obvious reasons ($$). So what could they be? > > P.S. I have tried and tried and TRIED, over these many years, to find > out who the above-mentioned couple might be. No luck. - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
