DESCRIPTION

4 1/2” long. A spectacularly inscribed assortment of human, animal, and botanical figures. But these are actually allegorical depictions and you have to roll them around to get the full gist.

On one tooth— a beautiful scantily clad lady is writing the name “Nell Perry.” On the other side is a young sailor/oarsman. Maybe they are lovers (real or imaginary). The Latin phrase below the sailor-oarsman: “Captus Nidore Culinae.” Translation: caught by the aroma of the kitchen. Quae est Sigmundaii (Everything is Freudian).

On the other tooth— A deer is just about to get whacked by a leopard. Below, the Latin phrase: “Dum Spiro Spero.” Translation: as long as I breathe I have hope. Note that the leopard is just about to be struck by the bullet from the rifle of a pith-helmeted hunter. Interesting but unlikely that a 19th century scrimshaw artist might be inspired by the writings of Cicero and Theocritus. Equally unlikely (impossible, actually) that inspiration was via the song in the Clive Barker video game UNDYING. More likely— a reference to the relocation of St Andrew’s bones to a small fishing village on the North Sea— (conceptually something with which a sailor might be more familiar). One thing these teeth definitely prove: Sailors have way too much spare time to kill.

CONDITION
Aside from stable age cracks very good. Please examine the photos carefully. The photos tell the story.