True Scrimshaw Knives

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just bob
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True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by just bob »

I knew that Schrade, Parker, and various China knife companies made scrimshaw knives produced in mass quantity. When I saw these knives and saw they were Rough Riders I assumed they were mass produced in China. They are not. All 4 are signed and I have only been able to figure one of them out. The knife on the lower right is signed Shar Knight. I have found that she is an artist in Hawaii and has other knives like this for sale on her web site for $200. The Rough Rider sunfish knife must be popular with scrimshaw artist because it is inexpensive and provides a large area to create a scene on. Others artists seem to like this knife and pattern as well, there are others on ebay. I wonder if these knives aren't made for the tourist trade in the islands and maybe all of these artist sell their works there? Anyway four really nice pieces of art. I have found a web site that does for scrimshaw what AAPK does for pocket knives. I am going to post these knives there in hopes the artists can be identified and others can enjoy the beauty of them.
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QTCut5
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by QTCut5 »

Those are really cool. I especially like the double-hull Polynesian sailing canoe with the crab-claw sails...never saw that one in scrimshaw before.

Here's my one and only scrimshawed knife (Mammoth Ivory).
P2130496.JPG

~Q~
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In the master's chamber they gather for the feast.
They stab it with their steely knives but they just can't kill the beast.
(Eagles: Hotel California)


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Quick Steel
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by Quick Steel »

I have only a couple of original scrimshaw knives. I'll have to find and photograph them. Then post.
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deo-pa
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by deo-pa »

Here is my scrimshaw. The image is Olive Thomas, silent screen actress and mistress of Flo Ziegfeld. In 1920 Ziegfeld commissioned the then young Alberto Vargas (famous pinup artist) to draw Thomas and the resulting image (called "Memories of Olive") is one of his most famous prints.

I purchased the knife from AAPK's Willy (aka Robert) who commissioned the knife quite a few years ago. It's a 1 of 24 Bulldog sunfish customized with mastodon ivory handles and bolster engraving. The scrimshaw was done by Howard Thomas and the engraving by Jim Downing, both well-known experts in their fields. It's a real beauty and a privilege to own... thanks Robert!

Dennis
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olive1.jpg
olive1.jpg (39.24 KiB) Viewed 2929 times
olive2.jpg
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Quick Steel
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by Quick Steel »

Dennis, in every respect your knife is exquisite. A wonderful piece.
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by deo-pa »

Thank you QS, I agree it is a special knife.

A quick story: When Willy first listed this knife it absolutely spoke to me. I contacted him and we agreed on a price. He loved this knife; it was his idea and creation. Before I could pay him he got back to me and apologized but said he just couldn't part with it after all.

I thought about the knife off and on and about a year later I decided to PM him asking if he thought any more about selling it. Exactly the day I messaged him but before he even saw my message he decided to list it again on AAPK. I jumped on it right away.

It sounds corny but I've always figured that story means I was meant to have that knife.

Dennis
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#goldpan
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by #goldpan »

Those are very nice examples scrimshaw guys. Dennis that is one special knife! I'm fond of the whaling themes myself. Here is my contribution.
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QTCut5
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by QTCut5 »

Randy, is that little Barlow an AG Russell CM-4, by any chance?
Very cool collection of scrimshaw.

Dennis--that is a super special knife. I totally know what you mean by "it was meant to be"--I think every knife collector has at least one knife like that in his or her collection. Thanks for sharing yours.

~Q~
We are all just prisoners here of our own device.
In the master's chamber they gather for the feast.
They stab it with their steely knives but they just can't kill the beast.
(Eagles: Hotel California)


~Q~
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#goldpan
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by #goldpan »

Sorry Q its not an AG Russell. Its a National, made in Japan. Those CM-4's are cool little Barlows though. I have two of them. ::nod::
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QTCut5
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by QTCut5 »

Forgot I had this one. I don't know if it's "true" scrimshaw, though, because it's not signed.
P5260348.JPG

~Q~
We are all just prisoners here of our own device.
In the master's chamber they gather for the feast.
They stab it with their steely knives but they just can't kill the beast.
(Eagles: Hotel California)


~Q~
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#goldpan
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by #goldpan »

Q thats is true scrim for sure. ::nod:: Its scratched into the covers and not painted, etched or lasered on. I like it! Thanks for showing it ::tu::
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big monk
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by big monk »

Very nice showing guys !!! ::tu:: ---

here I have a Wostenholm 1XL made & marketed as a ""Schrade 1*XL Limited Edition"" Canoe -- 1981 -- Smooth White Bone, Scrimshaw "Whaling " theme, by artist Bill Feeney of Bedford, Massachusetts ( signed under the lower pin )
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by knife7knut »

Here are a couple that I have.I have a few more but can't seem to locate the pictures;will have to dig them out to re-shoot. The stag pieces I don't think would qualify as scrimshaw but I figured I'd throw them in anyway.
The Joseph Rodgers knife seems to be quite old.
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RodgersIvory 003.jpg
RodgersIvory 006.jpg
Stag066.jpg
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Brumbydownunder
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by Brumbydownunder »

big monk's Canoe ^^^^ ... with it's "downunder cousin" 8)
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by Quick Steel »

Some signed scrimshaw pieces.
P1010769.JPG
P1010768.JPG
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by Quick Steel »

And one more signed original. Have shown this before but I think its good looking enough for a 2nd look. :D
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P1010271.JPG
kootenay joe
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by kootenay joe »

By "true" scrimshaw do you mean the artist drew the art work by hand onto the handle surface ? and thereby is an original 'one off' drawing i.e. excludes art work that somehow gets printed onto knife handles like all the Schrade USA scrimshaw series ?
Does ivory make doing scrimshaw work more challenging than on bone or micarta ?
kj
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by bkazz5 »

My contribution to this topic. The artist is Gary Harbour.
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by kootenay joe »

Here is an 'Art' knife that is described as "engraved". I can see the scroll type work is engraving but what about the rhino & background ? is this scrimshaw ? or engraving ? and, what is the difference ?
kj
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by Quick Steel »

Good question kj. The intent of the word true almost certainly means a one of a kind piece, an original, by the signed artist. Not a copy. These are certainly the most valuable.

Among reproductions, including some Schrades you may find the artists signature revealing who made the original. I consider these more desirable than the non signed, sort of like buying an artist's print.

If one likes the art work, one can certainly enjoy even an unsigned reproduction.
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Quick Steel
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by Quick Steel »

kj: Here is a definition from Wikipedia: 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 from harvesting them from marine mammals. ... A maker of scrimshaw is known as a scrimshander.

So true scrimshaw would be limited to renditions made on bone or ivory.
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by Quick Steel »

bkazz5: Those are beautiful pieces you have. I like them very much.

kj, though not scrimshaw, your art knives are superb; beautiful work.
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just bob
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by just bob »

I thought when I started this thread that true scrimshaw meant scrimshaw not done by a machine and mass produced. A unique one of a kind pc. of art. I can see now there may be variations on that thought. This page has a lot of info on scrimshaw and the definitions used in the art.

http://scrimshawstudio.com/artist.marks.html



Beautiful knives in this thread !
“The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion.” (Paulo Coelho)

Men make plans and God laughs

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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by kootenay joe »

Here is a very fine very sharp Hunter by Jerry Halfrich. The ivory handle has a Whitetail Stag scrimshaw with colors.
I had planned to use this knife to experience the sharpness and ease of slicing that Jerry is renoun for. However i haven't used it and now i won't. Let me know if you want to take it hunting (well, ya gotta buy it first eh).
kj
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stagman
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Re: True Scrimshaw Knives

Post by stagman »

Here is the only scrimshaw I ever owned, bought app. 15 years
ago done by Howard Thomas
It was titled "Little White Dove"
Done the old fashion way the stipple method
Stag
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