EAST DENNIS, MASS. — In two sessions over August 8 and 9, Eldred’s presented The Marine Sale, featuring scrimshaw and whaling objects from a Long Island, N.Y., estate collection, a historic Nantucket, Mass., collection and the Robert Hellman whaling and whalecraft collection. The top lot in the two-day sale was a scrimshaw sperm whale tooth with inlaid abalone and tortoiseshell accents. An accompanying letter of authenticity from Dr Stuart M. Frank, founder and director of Scrimshaw Forensics Laboratory (Foxborough, Mass.) and senior curator emeritus, New Bedford Whaling Museum (New Bedford, Mass.), documented that the work was done by the hand of an unidentified American whaleman circa 1835-50. Furthermore, Frank postulated the jet-black inks used in the carving were lampblack and china ink. The primary whaling scene, with a pod of whales, a large ship and several smaller vessels, wrapped around the tooth. One side primarily featured a large whaleship while the other was characterized by whales tossing men from their ships. Above the tumultuous scene were Masonic symbols and a ribbon-wrapped floral bouquet. A foliate band wrapped around the base of the tooth, connecting the hexagonal abalone pieces. Measuring six inches long, the intricately carved and decorated tooth was bid past its $40,000 high estimate to achieve $47,250 with buyer’s premium. Additional coverage of The Marine Sale will be in a forthcoming issue.