SWEETLY TWEETING - Bone Scrimshaw Birds Flowers Swarovski Earrings, Handmade

About:

The art and history of scrimshaw is fascinating to me. So when I saw these birds and flowers bone scrimshaw beads, I knew a pair of handmade earrings had to be made with them. SWEETLY TWEETING is a one of a kind pair of earrings created by Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs from hand engraved bone scrimshaw beads, Swarovski crystals and sterling silver.

Since the modern form of scrimshaw was first practiced over 200 years ago by sailors on whaling ships out of New England, scrimshaw is considered by many to be the only art form that originated in America (Inuits practiced a form of scrimshaw dating as far back as 100-200 A.D.). Ivory teeth from the sperm whale was the most popular substance to engrave by the sailors since they were plentiful and of no commercial value to the whalers. The engraving was done with a pocketknife, or, if a sailor was lucky, a discarded sail needle. Several times during the engraving process a sailor would rub a pigment, usually soot from the chimney of the cooking stove, into the cuts and scratches to make the picture come to life. Today most scrimshaw is engraved on bone.

Here's the important information for SWEETLY TWEETING earrings:

+ Scrimshaw bone beads: app. 28mm x 8mm
+ Swarovski crystals: "erinite" 4mm faceted bicones
+ Metal: sterling silver
+ Earwires: French hooks; sterling silver
+ Length: app. 2.5"/6.4 cm from top of the earwires

SHADOW DOG DESIGNS
Unique Handmade Jewelry
for the Discerning Woman