Scrimshaw Artist Keeps Traditional Art Form Alive

Scrimshaw Artist Keeps Traditional Art Form Alive Roni Dietrich of Harrisburg, Pa., is among a handful of artists who keep alive the 19th-century tradition of scrimshaw. Whale hunters once carved ivory whale teeth to pass the time on long sea voyages. Sailors would sketch images on paper, then transfer them to whale or walrus ivory by poking a series of dots through the paper sketch. Sharpened sail needles carved the designs, which were then filled with candle soot to make the images stand out. “I’ve been a scrimshaw artist and carver since 1979, when my mother bought me a starter kit,” Dietrich says. “Since then, I’ve scrimshawed hundreds of pieces, including jewelry-sized to knife handles and large artifacts.” Her work has appeared in many knife and scrimshaw books, and she has scrimshawed for one of the presidents of Leupold Scopes in Germany and for actor and director Charles S. Dutton. “In 2005, I won Best Color Wildlife Award at the national scrimshaw competition in Mystic, Conn., put on by Barbra Cullin of Mystic Scrimshanders.” Still, the art form remains obscure. “Most people struggle to understand scrimshaw, much less its modern history,” Dietrich says. “Ivory, one of the historical mediums for scrimshaw, has been federally banned as a US import since the early 1970s. However, it’s legal for art use so long as you can prove it came into the country before the ban. Five or six states have made it illegal under any circumstance.” In the decades since the ban, scrimshaw artists have adapted by using preserved woolly mammoth tusks and synthetic materials like cast-polyester ivory. “Some state bans include woolly mammoth,” Dietrich says. She notes that Pennsylvania has a bill pending to do the same. “Writing a bill that protects animals that have been extinct for 10,000 years makes legislators look out of touch with reality. What’s next, unicorn protection? This bill will not only affect scrimshaw artisans, but it also affects fossil collectors and all the people in Alaska who find it and sell it as part of their living.” Despite this legal confusion, Dietrich notes that making scrimshaw is simple. “You polish a piece (mammoth ivory—my favorite—or a polymer ivory substitute, certain stones, plastic, horn, bone, antler, micarta, even Corian countertop material) to a mirror finish, removing all scratches or nicks.” Next, she uses a special STABILO write-on pencil to draw directly onto the polished piece. “I use a very highly sharpened scribing tool to scratch over the lines of the drawing. Then I cover the entire area with India ink and let it dry well before spitting into the tissue and rubbing off the excess ink. Yes, saliva is really the best way. Never use water.” Ideally, the ink will fill all the scratches, allowing the picture to stand out. Dietrich repeats this process until the artwork matches her vision.  Much of Dietrich’s current art incorporates equine imagery, inspired by a gelding paint she rode and cared for at the Capital Area Therapeutic Riding Association. “I consider each piece as one of my ‘children,’” Dietrich says. “Each piece is different and priced accordingly. As for how long I spend on each piece, I work on it until it’s done. Scrimshaw, whaling, and woolly mammoth ethics is something that I can bore people with for hours at parties.” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Roni Dietrich, Harrisburg, Pa. (Facebook: Wild Horse Studio; Instagram: @wildhorsestudio9).

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