19th C. Scrimshawed Bone Cup, Anchor and Flags woman with children I love its clunkiness

I love its clunkiness

and collecting plumb bobs in all of their wonderful varieties feels like a good idea to me

and with pretty phenomenal aging to the paint on the steeple too

and also the carving's thinness--not much more than a silhouette treading stealthily along his base

where the canvas shows through in some areas

19th C. Scrimshawed Bone Cup, Anchor and Flags woman with children I love its clunkinessI believe this was made as a spirit cup and dates to the Civil War era, based on a few others I have turned up that are similar. And I believe it is French flags that are cross the anchor at center, with finials evoking the fleur de lys representing the French navy. Likely made by a sailor aboard a ship, and, despite a rim chip on one side, quite a lovely thing, which would make a great dice cup now. 2 1 2" t x 1 3 4." Chip to the rim as documented