Hi,
My name is Mike Cyra. Welcome to my artwork.
Most of the items pictured here are sold and in private collections.
If you would like to discuss a project or commission a piece of scrimshaw, I would love to talk to
you! Please email me at michaelc42@earthlink.net
I scrimshaw on very old and very legal ivory as well as a variety of man-made materials.
If you see anything you like on my site, let's talk!
Thanks for your time,
Mike Cyra
Scrimshaw is the art of
engraving on Ivory and Bone. The artform started with the sailors of the American whaling fleet in the 1800's. It is one of
the only true indiginous American artforms besides Native American Indian artwork.
This obscure artform has
been kept alive over the
years by numerous, extremely talented artists (called scrimshanders) and by collectors who
appreciate this uniquely American artform.
Scrimshaw
had a boost of popularity in the 1960's because President John F. Kennedy was an avid collector of scrimshaw. JFK kept numerous
scrimshawed whales teeth on his oval office desk in the White House.
Probably the most valuable
and inobtainable piece of scrimshaw in the world is the Sperm whale tooth engraved with the Seal of the President of the United
States that First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy laid next to her husband, just before his
coffin was sealed.
Modern scrimshaw artwork encompasses every subject matter from the traditional sailing ships and whaling
scenes to everything under the sun.
