Coast Salish Scrimshaw Antler Letter Opener By GY

ca. 1920's

.875" H x 6.75" L x 1.25" W

Hand Carved from Scrimshaw Antler with Inlaid Salmon Motif

In Very Good Condition

The Coast Salish Scrimshaw Antler Letter Opener is a handmade or artisanal piece blending Northwest Coast Indigenous (specifically Coast Salish) design aesthetics with scrimshaw techniques—typically the art of engraving or etching intricate designs into bone, antler, or ivory, often inked for contrast.

Traditional scrimshaw originated with whalers carving on whale bone or teeth, but modern Indigenous artists in the Pacific Northwest (including Coast Salish, Quinault, and others) adapt it to deer, elk, or caribou antler, incorporating formline art motifs like stylized animals, salmon, whales, or geometric patterns reflective of Salish cultural symbols.