Scrimshaw was one form of sailors’ art, and cane making was another. This example is made from a series of carefully graduated shark vertebrae threaded over a light metal rod, with the biggest vertebrae at the top. The ferrule is wooden and the rounded wooden handle is in the shape of a simplified horse’s hoof. Near the top where the handle begins curving for the user’s handhold, there are some pieces of wood and baleen trimmed on one side to account for the curving handle. The ferrule at the bottom is cracked, and there is some evidence for repairs at a few spots along the shaft, indicating the importance of the cane to its owner(s). The length of this example suggests use by a man.
Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.
If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.