SCRIMSHAW ARTIST View all David Adams scrimshaw pieces Scrimshaw artist biography coming soon.
“Pirate Queen Boarding!” Black and white scrimshaw on ancient mammoth ivory tusk bark by David Adams. Leading the way, sword in hand The Pirate Queen boards another prey, her crew following behind. This is another one of Adams’ depictions of Pirate Queens. The amount of work in this one is incredible, from the shading on her face to the shading of here hair. A work of art to be treasured.
“Maiden with Night Light” color scrimshaw on ancient mammoth ivory bark by David Adams. Another outstanding creation in our series of female pirates. Although she is not as fearsome as some of the others that Adams has portrayed, she conveys a look of intense scrutiny. Nothing on board escapes her notice, even in the dark of night. Also, we do not know if she is clutching a sword in her left hand. Note the detail of the chain as the light illuminates just a portion of it, then fades into darkness at the top. These kind of minute details are precisely what sets Adams’ work apart from others. He does not just fill up the space in the ivory, but creates a spellbinding scene in each piece. This takes both a great deal of talent and time, both of which can be seen in this incredible work.
“Pirate Queen with Sword” Color scrimshaw on ancient mammoth tusk ivory bark by David Adams. Amazing work by Adams on this large piece of mammoth bark. This is one of a series of women pirates that we have added to our online gallery. Yes, there were female pirates, but, probably, not as alluring as portrayed here. Nevertheless, this is what art is about. She is well dressed with thigh high boots and striking crimson sash along with a stylish vest with gold trappings. Dressed to kill as can be seen with the menacing sword clutched in her right hand. Only a scant handful of contemporary scrimshanders of the last several decades were capable of creating work of this caliber. This is something the lucky owner will keep in the family and pass down from generation to generation. It is that brilliant.
“Nemo’s Nightmare!” black and white scrimshaw on ancient mammoth tusk ivory bark by David Adams. Captain Nemo is in a precarious position this time. Just when he finally located the elusive treasure for which he had been searching, this giant octopus attacked! The action leaves the viewer wondering which one will be victorious. Scrimshander Adams has done a masterful job on this huge piece of mammoth bark. The shading from the dark recess of the octopus’ den to the lighter tones of the sea floor up to the Nautilus is perfect. This one took forever to complete, but the wait was worth it. This will be a high point of any serious scrimshaw collection, no doubt about it.
“Vigilant Lone Wolf” black and white scrimshaw on ancient mammoth ivory bark by David Adams. Perched high upon a snow covered ledge, this guy is looking for his next meal. Amazing how Adams manages to capture the spirit of his subject matter, animal or human. Thick ivory mounted on a handsome stand, this one is outstanding.
“Battling Rams” black and white scrimshaw on ancient mammoth tusk ivory by David Adams. The expression “butting heads” immediatrely comes to mind. These two are out to prove which one is the tougher. The winner gets the harem, the loser looks for another mountain. Survival of the fittest. Great work by Adams on this very nice piece of mammoth bark/.
“Snarling Bobcat” black and white scrimshaw on ancient mammoth tusk ivory bark by David Adams. Very thick piece of mammoth bark, by the way. Excellent depiction by Adams. Like the way he lightly colored the eyes. Seems to almost be jumping off the ivory. Bobcats have excellent vision and hearing and a well- developed sense of smell. Unlike the domesticated house cat, bobcats enjoy the water and are very good swimmers. As incredibly skilled climbers, bobcats easily maneuver around rocky terrain and climb tall trees when pursuing their prey.
“Big Horn Sheep Family” black and white scrimshaw on ancient mammoth tusk ivory bark by David Adams. Entire family portrait of this incredible animal. Found throughout mountains in the West, from Canada to Mexico, these big horn sheep can traverse very thin ledges some as narrow as two inches! Scrimshander Adams has used precise stippling to maximum effect. It appears the entire has heard some type of noise to the right as they all are at attention. Excellent work, as usual, from Adams.
“Female Pirate Attacks!” black and white scrimshaw on ancient mammoth ivory bark by David Adams. Yes, there were female pirates, but none this attractive. Incredible work by Adams here, She seems to almost jump off the ivory, her fierce expression striking fear into the most formidable enemy. Note the detail on the sword’s hilt and the detail of her gloved right hand. Adams has created something special with his depiction of these female pirates.