Book excerpt: This guide is a dazzling showcase of this uniquely American art form. The pages are filled with tips, techniques, and insights that both educate and demonstrate the steps to creating authentic and beautiful scrimshaw. An examination of ivory includes a wide range of alternative natural and man-made ivory substitutes, including bone, horn, and nuts. Without question, this is the most complete technical and aesthetic book ever written in the field. With over 200 color photos, this step-by-step guide addresses scrimshaw tools, patterns, inking, and inlays. Originally written as a training manual for studio apprentices, this knowledge is now available to you.