DENNIS, MASS. — On August 10 and 11, Eldred’s conducted a two-session Marine Sale offering about 600 lots of fine nautical artifacts and art. The first session focused on all things whalebone and baleen, resulting in a top price of $163,800 ($125/175,000) for an “iconic” polychrome scrimshaw whale’s tooth carved circa 1825-29 by Edward Burdett (Nantucket, 1805-1833). This tooth is known as the first documented piece of American scrimshaw and has a long list of research, provenance and exhibition history to show for it. Depicting the port profile of a three-masted whaleship, the tooth is inscribed “Japan – Bound to the USA” within a rope-bordered cartouche and decorated with a berry vine border at the base. Several design characteristics indicate Burdett’s workmanship on the tooth, which was in excellent condition and sold with a whalebone and wood stand. More on this and other stellar lots to follow.
