Wonderful c. Mid 19th Century Whaler Made Scrimshaw Ladies Leg Bodkin cloud I just love the way

I just love the way its presumably young maker carried the patriotic theme through right down to mixing red and blue petals on the flowers

made all the more special by those two beautifully long fingered hands reaching together at the top of that "wring" to complete the form of a heart--with flowers to either side in the negative space giving the appearance of eyes

that one dated 1922 and from Maine

but this is quite a special feeling object

Wonderful c. Mid 19th Century Whaler Made Scrimshaw Ladies Leg Bodkin cloud I just love the wayI splurged a bit on this one by my standards, purchased from an longtime New England dealer, but I didn't think twice: what a wonderful example of a folk art scrimshaw bodkin, which would have been made by a whaler sailor as a gift to bring home to a sweetheart. Bodkins were once common implements, used for making lace, threading ribbon or cord through fabric casings necklines, waistbands, etc and more. I've seen some fancy ones around these parts,