Lot 121
121
AN INTERESTING AND RARE SET OF THREE 19TH CENTURY SCRIMSHAW DECORATED WHALE'S TEETH
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VA… Read more Scrimshaw
AN INTERESTING AND RARE SET OF THREE 19TH CENTURY SCRIMSHAW DECORATED WHALE'S TEETH

Details
AN INTERESTING AND RARE SET OF THREE 19TH CENTURY SCRIMSHAW DECORATED WHALE'S TEETH
each worked on both sides and with a portrait of a member of the Royal Family of Hawaii dressed as Europeans and framed with ropework and harpoon all inscribed with their name and BARK GALVESTON CONDEMNED HONALULU 1871 the reverses incised with a group portrait entitled KING KAMEHAMEHAV & HAWAIAN NOBLES; a canoe manned by masked islanders DOUBLE CANOE SANDWICH ISLANDS with the sun rising over a headland with RETREAT in the middle; and a depiction of a MASKED SANDWICH ISLANDER, all three signed and dated lower right SAAVEDRA 71, each -- 7in. (18cm.) approx; Letter of provenance dated 1939
See illustration (3)
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

A letter that accompanies this lot bears the letterhead for 'Unwin & Rodgers' of New Bedford, specialist 'whaling craft' dealers, dated Feb. 5th 1939. According to this letter, the teeth were originally commissioned by the Captain of the Galveston, but for some reason were never paid for or collected. Eventually they were acquired by an American 'adventure writer', Jack London, whom it is assumed sold them to the dealers. The original asking price for the set of three in 1939 was $130.00.

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