Swordfish Bill Scrimshaw Pen and Ink Art K. Henry Tall Ship S18

Description: Scrimshaw Swordfish Bill Pen & Ink K. Henry. "A Storm is Brewing" Photos show Genuine Atlantic Swordfish Bills being hauled from the fishing vessel Destiny, New Bedford, MA, C. 1985, & some of the process creating a finished product. Done entirely by Keith A. Henry, with help & encouragement from above... This was a labor of love. Interest began in Highschool, 1967 with Scrimshawon teethof a now endangered animal that I shall not mention,or the eBay folks and AI may take down this ad. Through the years technique has matured,and times have changed. Pen & Ink is his choice as it can render extremely detailed depictions on these glass smooth, polishedsword bones! You'll want to use a magnifying glass to see the actual detail...and will not be disappointed! This was sprayed with a special thin fixative so fingers will not harm. The wooden butt piece is polyurethane, as is the display board. Magnets are Rare Earth, all perfectly balanced and ready to hang on a nail! The squares in the photos are 1" x 1" (appx 28.5" long) Questions, or comments are certainly invited... Shipped fully insured, usuallythe next businessday. Artist Keith A. Henry also a noted scrimshander in the scarce book:THE SCRIMSHANDER THE NAUTICAL IV'RY WORKER AND HIS ART OF SCRIMSHAWby William Gilkerson,TroubadourPress, S.F., 1975. At the age of 11 K. Henryreceiveda summer scholarship to Hofstra College, LI, NY, for artistic abilities noted in his local grade school, Levittown, LI. Introduced to Scrimshaw at 15, and encouraged by Westport Highschoolartteacher, Mr. Bob Rayno, to work with, and invest in Whales teeth as regulations concerning Endangered Species were finally beingimplemented. One of 7 US 'exemption' certificates wasissued, c.1970, for remaining inventory, which has been long expired. Around 1985 a fisherman fromNewport, RI, gave him some discarded Swordfish Bills... After some time andexperimentation,a method of utilizing these for artisticapplication wasrealized. Since then,scuba diving at a New Bedford dockside, (a most unpleasant &disgustingendeavor), and more importantly making a deal with the Capt. and FirstMate of the fishingboat "Destiny" to bring back a load of raw Swordfish Bills, or "rostrums", after a month at sea. They were kept frozen in the 'refer' aboardship. Usually thrown overboard because they take up valuable space. The cost was $300 and one hell of a story to go with it!!! His artwork was never donecommercially, as that would "spoil everything," always done as a hobby and given tofamilyand best friends. (Andone to a local Church, St. Lucy's, in Middletown, RI). Only in the past 10-15 have they been offered for sale in and the surroundingislands of Newport, RI., eventually on eBay. If anyone cares to try theirhand at this type of work, please notify me and I should be able to put a completelyready swordbill for you on eBay, with some instruction. A rapidograph pen with 000, 0000, and 00000 points, and India ink ae availableon eBay. These are the narrowest pen points available that can be used, with practice. Only a pencil and straight edge (small piece of plastic) are needed. You may hear the birds and waves while you work! You decide thewinddirection, the tide, and what goes on... Thereare usuallyno sailors depicted, this work is created with those great sailors in mind, who live now only in Myth & Memory. Unless the display board is either Oak or Mahogany, they are made of stained Sugar Pine. Cut from 1836 vintage Hook & Hastings wooden organ pipes, originally from St. John's Cathedral, Providence, RI.. Later retrieved from Belcourt Castle, Newport, RI, where the artist was property manager for several years.

Price: 625 USD

Location: Middletown, Rhode Island

End Time: 2024-09-08T22:06:03.000Z

Shipping Cost: 30 USD