Can old scrimshaw or ivory sculptures be re-inked or restored?
Yes, if it’s real ivory. Faux ivory and vegetable ivory don’t restore well. Re-inking, re-etching and restoring pieces, including mending cracks and broken or missing parts, is also possible in the hands of a master scrimshander/restorer. In the hands of an amateur, restorations are often so poorly done that the restoration itself ends up devaluing a piece. I am often asked about some of the chemicals I use in my retoration work, but since many are hazardous, I do not discuss them in an open forum such as this. Also, keep in mind that responsible scrimshanders will not work on whale teeth or other marine mammal ivory (except fossil walrus teeth) without copies of the required paperwork stating that the ivory was legally obtained. Reinking should never be done on works of historic value. Reinking can actually destroy a historic piece, along with its value to history.
