Talk:Scrimshaw

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Contents 1 Just whalers? 2 Pictures 3 Modern scrimshaw 4 Word etymology.

[edit] Just whalers?

I've seen American Indian works in this technique, but I'm really not well aquainted with this type of work, hence I came here to learn more. However it strikes me that this entry may not be inclusive enough. Anyone know more?

Well, work created by Native Americans rather than whalers would be with the same materials but wouldn't be scrimshaw (which is the art of whalers in the 19th and 20th centuries), same as tabua aren't scrimshaw even though they are also art created with whale teeth (its created by Fijian craftsmen. A specific type of art created with a material would probably deserve it's own page, but I've never heard of a specific whalebone art from the Native Americans. Sabine's Sunbird talk 05:17, 15 November 2006 (UTC)

-- just whalers? #2-- I invite and encourage some ethnologist or anthropologist to amply the "HISTORY" of scrimshaw, since its opening lines, giving whalers singular credit for developing the craft of scrimshw, may be less than complete. At least one on-line source--[1]--that I've seen states the following:

Scrimshaw... is one of only a few indigenous American crafts.   Practiced for centuries by the Inuit and other native groups along the Northwest Coast, it was adopted by the Yankee whalemen of the early 1800's. Source: Author and Webmaster, Mark Thogerson, 875 Carlton St., Muskegon, MI 49442; mark@scrimshaw.net

So, while the whaling community may have profected the craft of scrimshaw and spread it's popularity, the "History" segment of the Scrimshaw article should also reference it's probable (or possible) Aboriginal or native-culture origins (however primative). I have not searched other sources and I am not myself sufficiently knowledgeable about the subjest to confidently edit the article myself, but hope that someone will, since this additional information, if true and authenticated, would be important. (MizMac 15:06, 6 October 2007 (UTC))

[edit] Pictures

The picture is way too overexposed to be of more than cursory use.

[edit] Modern scrimshaw

This article suggests that scrimshaw is no longer practiced since the end of whaling. Thats far from the truth, there is modern scrimshaw that is indeed practiced (and is not fakeshaw or reproductions, but actual origonal peices) ussually on micarta, camel bone or other materials. Anyone out there an expert on the subject that can ad a modern scrimsaw section? I may give it a go, but not much I can say. Russeasby (talk) 21:32, 24 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Word etymology.

Has the word "Scrimshaw" ever been theorized as being related to Scramaseax? Seeing as the Anglo-Saxon & viking peoples were seafaring I couldn't see how an obscure origin word like this hasn't had this origin purported at one point or another. Nagelfar (talk) 12:44, 10 February 2008 (UTC)