American
New England
Mid 19th century or before
Engraved whalebone
12.25 and 13.25 inches long (31 and 34 cm)
McClains Auction House, Honolulu, Hawaii; Randy Nagatani, Honolulu, Hawaii
The two busks are long flat blades of whalebone, each engraved along its length with bands of geometric ornament, stars, birds, foliage, and a pinwheel rose, the incised lines darkened to read against the pale bone. The engraving differs between the two, one denser with pictorial panels and the other ordered in repeating chevron and diamond bands. Both show honey toning, light surface wear, and the shallow warp natural to bone.
Busks are flat slats that whaling crewmen carved and engraved at sea and gave to wives or sweethearts on their return, one of the characteristic courtship forms of American scrimshaw. They were slipped into a vertical pocket in a woman's corset to stiffen the garment, which is why they survive in this long narrow form. Offered as a pair as acquired.
This item contains whalebone and ships within the United States only, where permitted by law.
American
New England
Mid 19th century or before
Engraved whalebone
12.25 and 13.25 inches long (31 and 34 cm)
McClains Auction House, Honolulu, Hawaii; Randy Nagatani, Honolulu, Hawaii
The two busks are long flat blades of whalebone, each engraved along its length with bands of geometric ornament, stars, birds, foliage, and a pinwheel rose, the incised lines darkened to read against the pale bone. The engraving differs between the two, one denser with pictorial panels and the other ordered in repeating chevron and diamond bands. Both show honey toning, light surface wear, and the shallow warp natural to bone.
Busks are flat slats that whaling crewmen carved and engraved at sea and gave to wives or sweethearts on their return, one of the characteristic courtship forms of American scrimshaw. They were slipped into a vertical pocket in a woman's corset to stiffen the garment, which is why they survive in this long narrow form. Offered as a pair as acquired.
This item contains whalebone and ships within the United States only, where permitted by law.
