DanGraves
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2006
- Messages
- 2,697
This set was produced by Anton Wingen and is not one of the ones that are sighned "NUGURUK" as described below. But it may have been by them. I just dont know. I do believe this is Walrus rather than Elephant as the grain is very tight which is like Walrus but it could be elephant. It has never been used and in mint condition. There iscolor in the gain and is not a stain. Knife overall length is 10 5/8. 75.00 and 7.00 for mail in USA only. No overseas sale. Illegal. My paypal and e-mail is dangraves4923@earthlink.net
In reality, "Nuguruk" was not an eskimo scrimshaw artist, but a Seattle company of the 1960's which obtained cutlery blades and fittings, often from Germany or England, and then hired local people to produce scrimshaw ivory handles. Their products are indeed real ivory (sometimes marine ivory, but more often imported elephant ivory) and are scrimshawed by hand. However, because the scrimshaw was produced from patterns supplied by the company, they are not original works of art, and all or most of the artists were non-native. They copied templates which they were given by the company, and as a result there are only a few stock patterns: seal on ice floe, dog sled, cabin, and a dozen or so others. All the items were signed Nuguruk, regardless of the name of the factory worker who applied the designs.
In reality, "Nuguruk" was not an eskimo scrimshaw artist, but a Seattle company of the 1960's which obtained cutlery blades and fittings, often from Germany or England, and then hired local people to produce scrimshaw ivory handles. Their products are indeed real ivory (sometimes marine ivory, but more often imported elephant ivory) and are scrimshawed by hand. However, because the scrimshaw was produced from patterns supplied by the company, they are not original works of art, and all or most of the artists were non-native. They copied templates which they were given by the company, and as a result there are only a few stock patterns: seal on ice floe, dog sled, cabin, and a dozen or so others. All the items were signed Nuguruk, regardless of the name of the factory worker who applied the designs.
