FINE COLOR SCRIMSHAW ON MAMMOTH IVORY BY WARD RYAN. SCROLL DOWN TO SEE ALL WORKS. All scrimshaw has been done in colored oils, in the pen-and-ink technique called 'pointillism', lots of tiny dots which gives the scrimshaw a watercolor effect, and engraved lines. All works are signed and inlaid with the signature gold nugget. 

ALL SCRIMSHAW IS DONE ON FOSSILIZED PREHISTORIC WOOLLY MAMMOTH IVORY WHICH IS A MINIMUM of 12,000 YEARS OLD. IT IS CONSIDRED LEGAL PRE-BAN IVORY, AND IS LEGALLY POSSESSED AND SOLD. PLEASE, CHECK EXPORT CUSTOMS PAPERS ISSUED BY THE RUSSIAN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT FOR US CUSTOMS AND FISH AND WILDLIFE. CLICK ON THUMBNAIL TO SEE DOCUMENTS.

 

      
SCRIMSHAW "THE MONITOR AND THE MERRIMACK".  CLICK ON IMAGES TO SEE DETAIL. SIZE: 8" WIDE 4" HIGH (curvature). THE BATTLE BETWEEN THE UNION IRONCLAD 'MONITOR' AND THE CONFEDERATE IRONCLAD 'VIRGINIA' (FORMALLY THE 'MERRIMACK') TOOK PLACE ON MARCH 9, 1862 IN HAMPTON ROADS, VA AND CHANGED THE NAVAL WARFARE FOREVER.
THIS SCRIMSHAW WAS DONE AS A COMISSION FOR A PROMINENT COLLECTOR AND TOOK OVER 300 HOURS TO COMPLETE.

     

SCRIMSHAW "THE FAMILY".  CLICK ON IMAGES TO SEE DETAIL. SIZE: 6 1/4" high 4" wide (curvature). 9 1/2" WITH BASE.  PRICE: ON REQUEST

Family of wolves at night with a full moon illuminating the scene. In the foreground are the obviously dominant male and female standing shoulder to shoulder, waiting expectantly behind them are three of their offspring. Their eyes glowing golden as if reflected by the light of a campfire.

This incredibly detailed piece of scrimshaw has been done in colored oils. But also in the pen-and-ink technique called 'pointillism'. To create the moon and the night's sky he engraved literally tens of thousands of tiny dots in the ivory to give the background in this piece a soft, almost watercolor effect. It is also interesting to note, that the work on the moon has been done in three different colors, and although it is 1/2" in diameter, it is an exact rendition of the surface of the moon.

For the base, he chose a piece of black walnut beam that had been salvaged from a dismantled pioneer cabin constructed in the early 1700s. The ivory measures 6 1/4" high 4" wide (curvature). The piece on its stand measure 9 1/2" high. The texture on the rough-hewn base duplicates the texture carved on the back of the ivory. An Ivory plaque with the title "THE FAMILY" on the front. This piece is signed and dated. COMES WITH A CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY.

     
  
C.W. MORGAN WHALING SHIP, COLORED SCRIMSHAW ON MAMMOTH IVORY.
CLICK ON IMAGES TO SEE DETAIL.
BURL WOOD BASE. GOLD NUGGET. SIGNED.
   SIZE:  THE IVORY CARVING IS 10 1/2" HIGH & 4 1/4" WIDE. INCLUDING ITS BASE, IT STANDS 13 1/4" TALL. IT RESIDES IN A HANDMADE, MAMMOTH IVORY TRIMMED OAK AND GLASS CASE THAT IS 17" TALL, 8" WIDE, 6" DEEP.
  PRICE: UPON REQUEST

   

"WHY NOT ?"
When I first acquired this wonderful fragment of a massive woollly mammoth tusk, I toyed for a long time trying to decide what subject matter I should use as the story it would tell would become permanent.
I had gotten into a descussion, one of those ridiculous hypothetical discussions with the friend who contended that it would have been possible for early (pre-metal) men to have domesticated the woolly mammoth along with the horse as later men domesticated what we call the Indian elephant. Well, the answer to this questions was, of course, "WHY NOT?" and that led to the scene engraved on this tusk. it is of a group of men armed to the teeth in all their stone-age battle regalia listening to a leader extoll them onward. And, I am sure that one of the men in the houda on the back of the mammoth is saying to his companion: "WHY NOT?"


This piece of mammoth ivory came from what must have been a monster of an animal. the piece itself is 17" high 6" in diameter and 10" around a curve. It is a piece of half of a tusk, which indicates that this tusk was 20" in circumference, more than 12 feet in length, and, literally, hundreds of pounds.
The ivory in this piece wighs 11 lbs, the cherry wood base weighs 9 lbs, bringing a total weight of 20 lbs and a combined height of 26". There is a sterling silver collar around the ivory where it sits into its base for stability. The signature is hallmarked with the gold nugget. Comes with the certificate of authenticity.
Price: upon request.

CLICK ON IMAGE BELOW TO SEE "WHY NOT" PORTFOLIO