EAST DENNIS, MASS. – “The Log Teeth,” a pair of scrimshawed whale’s teeth by Josiah Sheffield Jr, carved in the manner of a log book, sold for $93,750 at Eldred’s Marine Sale on August 19. The pair are numbered 8 and 9, indicating at least seven other undiscovered chapters of the 1831-1835 voyage of the New Bedford whaleship Timoleon. They are the only known examples of authentic scrimshaw that document a whaling voyage in the manner of a log.

The firm described them thus:

“‘No. 8’ tooth engraved in cursive lettering ‘No. 8 N. West Coast July 29 1833 Lat. 37 10. N. Lon. 125. 00. W. Took 6 Whales.’ above a ship portrait captioned in serifed lettering ‘Sept 20 1833 Anchored in St Barbara Sept 29 Sail’d for Todos Santos Bay.’ Decorative rules and flourishes are interspersed between lines of text, figures are visible on board the ship, and geometric bands line the edges. Signed on reverse ‘Josiah Shefield [sic] Jr’ within an oval border, the lettering surrounding a stylized compass rose. Sheffield spelled incorrectly here is believed to be a ‘typographical’ error.

“‘No 9’ tooth engraved in serifed lettering, matching the caption on the ‘No. 8’ tooth, ‘Oct 3 1833 Anchor’d in Todos Santos ‘9’ Sail’d for Turtle Bay Nov 7′ Off C. St. Lus. Lat. 22.42 N. Lon 110.08 W. Took 2 Whales 110 bbls’ above crossed American flags on arrow-tipped poles set on a stepped plinth. Engraved below in the same serifed lettering ‘Oct 14 Anchor’d in Turtle Bay. & Cooper’d 1000 bbls, 31 Sail’d for Cape St Lucas.'” A stylized compass rose, the same as seen at the center of the signature on the “No. 8″ tooth is set between ‘Took 2 Whales’ and ‘110 bbls,’ and some additional rules are interspersed between lines of text. The flags and plinth are very finely rendered. Reverse with a rectangular frame containing a portrait of a figure in a long gown standing and holding a small book or purse.”

Watch for a full review of this sale in a future issue.