American Furniture, Folk & Decorative Arts

depicting broadside portraits of a full brig flying an American ensign, being followed by an unidentified American full-rigged, two-decker ship-of-war, evidently the type rated 74 guns, the back with an unusual patriotic device with hearts and acanthus leaves.
Length 8 1/4 inches.

The principal vessel is most likely the USS North Carolina (launched 1820), but could possibly be one of the few other 74-gun ships: USS Columbus, USS Delaware, USS Ohio, or USS Vermont.

Due to the similarities between the patriotic devices and the acanthus leaves, one could reasonably assume that this tooth was decorated by the same hand as the Fanny Campbell tooth (Lot 33). Furthermore, the matching size, shape and morphology would indicate that the teeth are from the same whale.

Hindman is grateful to Stuart Frank, Senior Curator Emeritus of the New Bedford Whaling Museum for his assistance in the cataloging of the scrimshaw offered in this auction.