SCRIMSHAW
Takeshi Yamada's artworks of sperm whale tooth scrimshaw, sperm whale tooth jewelry, Japanese Dragon God teeth, and sea elephant tusks are featured in this page. Real ivory pieces or ivory-like processed pieces were used. (2000 - 2004)
Takeshi Yamada's artworks of sperm whale tooth scrimshaw, sperm whale tooth jewelry, Japanese Dragon God teeth, and sea elephant tusks are featured in this page. Real ivory pieces or ivory-like processed pieces were used. (2000 - 2004)
The Sperm Whale Tooth Scrimshaw is the glorious America-born rogue taxidermy artwork,
only second to the most divine Wampum by the Native Americans.
-Takeshi Yamada
only second to the most divine Wampum by the Native Americans.
-Takeshi Yamada
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Sperm Whale Tooth Scrimshaw, Jewelry and Artworks
These artworks were created by Takeshi Yamada, being inspired by the America-born unique artform called Scrimshaw. Yamada considers scrimshaw one of the most important American-born art forms, and one of the most significantly unique rogue taxidermy forms in the world.
LINK
ARTICLE: SW: Prehistoric Monsters
ARTICLE: SW: Prehistoric Monsters
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Japanese Dragon God Teeth
The Dragon God Tooth (6 to 12 inch tall) is a religious relic, commonly enshrined and worshipped by the faithful and traditional religious followers at the costal Shinto Shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan. Yamada considers Japanese Dragon God Teeth one of the most significant and important religious rogue taxidermy forms in Japan and the world. Needless to say, Japan is the home of the prehistoric real dragon, Futabasaurus suzukii (双葉鈴木竜, Futabasuzukiryuu, lit. Futabasuzuki Dragon), which is a genus of plesiosaur from the Late Cretaceous. Described and named in 2006, it was assigned to the family Elasmosauridae.
Japanese Dragon God Teeth
The Dragon God Tooth (6 to 12 inch tall) is a religious relic, commonly enshrined and worshipped by the faithful and traditional religious followers at the costal Shinto Shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan. Yamada considers Japanese Dragon God Teeth one of the most significant and important religious rogue taxidermy forms in Japan and the world. Needless to say, Japan is the home of the prehistoric real dragon, Futabasaurus suzukii (双葉鈴木竜, Futabasuzukiryuu, lit. Futabasuzuki Dragon), which is a genus of plesiosaur from the Late Cretaceous. Described and named in 2006, it was assigned to the family Elasmosauridae.
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Sea Elephant Tusks and Rogue Taxidermy Artworks
Several Yamada's Sea Elephant Tusks were publically displayed at the Museum of World Wonders, Salt Marsh Nature Center, American Museum of Natural History, etc. One of them was even used for creating a giant rogue taxidermy artwork, entitled: Heaven and Hell", for the new AMC unscripted television series Immortalized, which was aired in 2013.
About the Art of Scrimshaw
During a long voyage that could last two to five years, Yankee whalemen quickly became bored. So, in the early 1800’s, they started “engraving” pictures of their ship or sea creatures (especially whales and mermaids) by using sharp nails on ivory horns of sea lions, bones/teeth of whales, large seashells or the large shells of sea turtles. Then, they rubbed India ink to make the carved lines distinguished. Their unique approach differentiates their craft from those ivory/tooth works of Europeans counterparts. Today, those American whalemen/craftsmen are called “scrimshanders” and their products were called “scrimshaw”. The origin of the word is obscure; one interesting etymology is a Dutch phrase meaning, “to waste one’s time”. In the later time, many artists who lived by the harbor started producing them as full-time work in their homes on the land to supply this very popular form of American-originated craft for people who visited there.
In the late 20th century, many species whose body parts were used for these artworks were categorized as “endangered spices” and protected by international treaties, thus this form of folk art is rapidly disappearing from the earth. Today, whale ivory is not sold legally because of the “Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972”, and the “Endangered Species Act of 1973” have severely limited its trade within the United States. Teeth registered as having entered the United States before 1973 can be sold, and then only by a dealer with a permit from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. In the last few decades, the price of authentic scrimshaws has been skyrocketing at auction houses internationally.
Dr. Takeshi Yamada is only a handful scrimshander (scrimshaw artist) in the world today still engaging this nearly lost ancient art. To legally producing scrimshaws under the current laws and regulations, one must seeks the following sources. 1) He acquires the antique and blank sperm whale teeth (often heavily damaged), which enter the United States before 1973; these are still sold at antique stores and auction with official documentation(s) with registration numbers required by the government. 2) He acquires old keyboards of piano, made of ivory. In this case, no documentations are required by the government to purchase them. 3) He acquires fossilized walrus tusk. 4) He acquires 10,000 year old Light Fossil Mammoth Ivory. 5) He acquires the replicas or reproductions of the sperm whale teeth from scientific supply stores (mostly made of resin or poly product sold under the name faux whale tooth). 6) He produces his own faux whale tooth (resin, etc). 7) He replicate whale tooth by using organic materials such as ground farm animals' bones (cow, pigs, etc.) mixed with synthetic glue.
NOTE: The sperm whale (Physeter catodon) is the largest of the toothed whales. It is the best known member of the whale family, generally being represented in toys and drawings; its most distinctive feature is the large, blunt head. (Moby Dick was a sperm whale.) This immense head contains spermaceti, a substance once widely used for ointments and candles. Overall, the body is dark blue to slate gray on the upper parts, lighter colored underneath, and white around the mouth. Squid is the primary food of the sperm whale, and much of its biology and behavior can be attributed to the search for this food item. The lower jaw contains 18-25 teeth which assist in eating squid and other cephalopods. Another trait is the absence of a dorsal fin. Instead, a large hump is present and behind it a series of bumps along the ridge of the back that extends to the large, notched, triangular flukes or tail flippers. A male can be up to 70 feet (21 m) in length and weigh 59 tons (54 metric tons), while females reach 38 feet and weigh up to 15 tons.
Takeshi Yamada
During a long voyage that could last two to five years, Yankee whalemen quickly became bored. So, in the early 1800’s, they started “engraving” pictures of their ship or sea creatures (especially whales and mermaids) by using sharp nails on ivory horns of sea lions, bones/teeth of whales, large seashells or the large shells of sea turtles. Then, they rubbed India ink to make the carved lines distinguished. Their unique approach differentiates their craft from those ivory/tooth works of Europeans counterparts. Today, those American whalemen/craftsmen are called “scrimshanders” and their products were called “scrimshaw”. The origin of the word is obscure; one interesting etymology is a Dutch phrase meaning, “to waste one’s time”. In the later time, many artists who lived by the harbor started producing them as full-time work in their homes on the land to supply this very popular form of American-originated craft for people who visited there.
In the late 20th century, many species whose body parts were used for these artworks were categorized as “endangered spices” and protected by international treaties, thus this form of folk art is rapidly disappearing from the earth. Today, whale ivory is not sold legally because of the “Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972”, and the “Endangered Species Act of 1973” have severely limited its trade within the United States. Teeth registered as having entered the United States before 1973 can be sold, and then only by a dealer with a permit from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. In the last few decades, the price of authentic scrimshaws has been skyrocketing at auction houses internationally.
Dr. Takeshi Yamada is only a handful scrimshander (scrimshaw artist) in the world today still engaging this nearly lost ancient art. To legally producing scrimshaws under the current laws and regulations, one must seeks the following sources. 1) He acquires the antique and blank sperm whale teeth (often heavily damaged), which enter the United States before 1973; these are still sold at antique stores and auction with official documentation(s) with registration numbers required by the government. 2) He acquires old keyboards of piano, made of ivory. In this case, no documentations are required by the government to purchase them. 3) He acquires fossilized walrus tusk. 4) He acquires 10,000 year old Light Fossil Mammoth Ivory. 5) He acquires the replicas or reproductions of the sperm whale teeth from scientific supply stores (mostly made of resin or poly product sold under the name faux whale tooth). 6) He produces his own faux whale tooth (resin, etc). 7) He replicate whale tooth by using organic materials such as ground farm animals' bones (cow, pigs, etc.) mixed with synthetic glue.
NOTE: The sperm whale (Physeter catodon) is the largest of the toothed whales. It is the best known member of the whale family, generally being represented in toys and drawings; its most distinctive feature is the large, blunt head. (Moby Dick was a sperm whale.) This immense head contains spermaceti, a substance once widely used for ointments and candles. Overall, the body is dark blue to slate gray on the upper parts, lighter colored underneath, and white around the mouth. Squid is the primary food of the sperm whale, and much of its biology and behavior can be attributed to the search for this food item. The lower jaw contains 18-25 teeth which assist in eating squid and other cephalopods. Another trait is the absence of a dorsal fin. Instead, a large hump is present and behind it a series of bumps along the ridge of the back that extends to the large, notched, triangular flukes or tail flippers. A male can be up to 70 feet (21 m) in length and weigh 59 tons (54 metric tons), while females reach 38 feet and weigh up to 15 tons.
Takeshi Yamada
This is the official fine art website of the Japanese-American artist, rogue taxidermist, educator, and author, Takeshi Yamada (山田 武司). Images contained on this website may not be used or reproduced in any manner without the explicit permission of the artist. For information on obtaining the rights to use images on this site, contact Takeshi Yamada at [email protected] with “image licensing” as the subject line.
Copyright, © Takeshi Yamada, All Rights Reserved.
Copyright, © Takeshi Yamada, All Rights Reserved.