Object Details
- Description
- The lower diameter of an average-sized sperm whale tooth makes it a perfect candidate for a napkin ring. This example was sliced off the bottom of a tooth, hollowed out and then polished inside and out.
- The upper side is carved with a Pacific Northwest Indian totem pole decorated with a vertical stack of four creatures. It stands at one corner of a low log walled precinct, to the right of which is a tree. The subject, uniform depth of the carving and overall style indicate a 20th century date.
- Totem poles were carved tree trunks (usually Western cedar) smoothed and carved by several different native North American tribes in the Pacific Northwest (Canada and Washington coast).
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
- date made
- 20th century
- Credit Line
- Dr. Lucinda de L. Templin
- Physical Description
- tooth, whale (overall material)
- scrimshaw (overall production method/technique)
- Measurements
- overall: 2 in x 1 5/8 in; 5.08 cm x 4.1275 cm
- Object Name
- napkin ring?
- scrimshaw, napkin ring
