Puckering's Antiques

Description

A charming and romantic example of a nineteenth century scrimshaw busk, perhaps a wedding gift given the scenes featured on this example.

From the Late 17th Century to the Late 19th Century stay busks were used as stiffeners for inserting in a woman’s corset or corsage and it continued to be the custom to carve and present stay busks as love tokens as long as the vagaries of fashion decreed a wasp waist accentuated by a long pointed bodice. Stay busks were popular with sailors as a scrimshaw item because, as they were shaped from the pan bone of a whale, they provided a flat even surface that could be easily engraved.

Later framed. Dating to around 1850, a truly lovely example. The busk measures 5" in length and the frame measuring 10" x 8".

Item 37049
FREE worldwide and domestic registered delivery directly from the UK