What's a scrimshaw?

[steve gittins]

Hey all, in the CD "Waiting for you" ,in the song "Restless," Gord mentions the word scrimshaw. Now, I've tried to find that word in the American Heritage Dictionary,nope, no listing. Is this a Canadian culture thing? Does Gordon possess a scrimshaw from his dad, and what does it look like?

[BendRick]

Hey all, in the CD "Waiting for you" ,in the song "Restless," Gord mentions the word scrimshaw. Now, I've tried to find that word in the American Heritage Dictionary,nope, no listing. Is this a Canadian culture thing? Does Gordon possess a scrimshaw from his dad, and what does it look like?

[Dream Street Rose]

Scrimshaw is engraving in ivory. It is really pretty. I collect penguins and I have a scrimshaw one.

[RaisinSpores]

That reminds me of a riddle I heard once:
How much scrim would a scrimshaw shaw if a scrimshaw could scrim shaw?

.....or was that a woodchuck?....I can't remember!

[Winter's Claw]

That reminds me of a riddle I heard once:
How much scrim would a scrimshaw shaw if a scrimshaw could scrim shaw?

.....or was that a woodchuck?....I can't remember!

[Yuri]

Yes, scrimshaw is engraving ivory, but it can be on bone as well. Although the orignins of the word is not really known, I always have associated the artform with the New England whaling industry of the 1800s, particularly Nantucket Island off of the coast of Massachusetts.

Whaling was an important industry as sperm (from sperm whales) and blubber from others was rendered down on ship to produce oil which was used as lamp oil or to make candles.

Whaling tours could last up to 5 years or more therefore to fight off boredom when the whales or the weather didn't cooperate, the sailors would carve or etch pictures into whale bone or ivory and then fill the lines with a contrasting substance to highlight the artwork.

Whalers in small boats would harpoon the whale and the boat and crew would be pulled along until the whale ultimatly tired and died. This became known as a "Nantucket Sleighride". One of my favorite rock bands of the 1960's, 'Mountain' penned a fantastic album and song, both entitled 'Nantucket Sleighride'

President John F. Kennedy was a collector of scrimshaw.



A Nantucket Sleighride to obtain blubber, oil and whalebone for scrimshaw.



'Mountain's' 1971 release entitled 'Nantucket Sleghride'

Yuri

[DJ in MJ]

Originally posted by Winter's Claw:
.....or was that a woodchuck?....I can't remember!

Yes, woodchuck. How much wood can a woodchuck chuck?

I believe it's 4 1/2 chords in 24 hours, that is if a woodchuck could actually chuck.

And if you want to know where I got that from, it's a faint memory from my childhood cartoon days.

[Jennifer]

I had never heard of a scrimshaw until I hear the song Restless. When I used the define command on Google it gave me the following definition:

<A type of folk art dating from at least the 17th century in which whale teeth, whale bones and walrus tusks are engraved or lightly carved with a picture or design. It was a way for sailors on long whaling voyages to pass time but has become very collectible.>

I also didn't know what the heck a chinook wind was either until I listened to Alberta Bound and of course I looked that up to. :D

[Jesse Joe]

SCRIMSHAW

[Jesse Joe]

SCRIMSHAW