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Item No.:	10479	Price :	$595.00
Item :	EARLY SCRIMSHAW CARVED HORN DRINKING CUP, LEATHER HANDLE

Description :

This is an original horn drinking cup that has been decorated with scrimshaw carving. The cup is about 5 1/2" long with a wooden base plug. There is a band of leather at the base and mouth of the cup that holds a leather handle in place. The leather bands are held in place with small domed brass tacks. The cup has been scrimshaw carved with a mermaid, a peacock, and a shark or dolphin. There is lettering around the top. It appears to be "Horatio" and another word that is not legible. The mermaid is a great carving and suggests that this cup may have a nautical origin. While this may be 18th century, it more probably dates to the early 1800's. One can just picture an able seaman sipping his grog ration from this beautifully decorated little cup. The cup is in very good condition with a yellowed patina. A few of the brass tacks are missing. The leather is stiff and there is an ancient crack on one side. There are two small insect holes in the horn. The peacock suggests a visit to India at one time. Might this have belonged to an East India Company sailor? Or perhaps a Yankee whaler out of New Bedford? It is a fabulous piece of early scrimshaw. Stock no. 30736

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