Antique Cribbage Board, c. 1920
Yup'ik Culture
St. Lawrence Island, Alaska
walrus ivory, scrimshaw design
1.5” h x 16.5” long x 2.75” wide
Notes: The fossil ivory walrus tusk used to create this cribbage board is a work of art in and of itself with significant weight and a beautiful patina. Scrimshaw figures include a dog sled team, caribou, seals, walrus, and a polar bear. At the top of the cribbage board is the most important scene depicting two relief carved whales with two whaling parties in their umiaks in hot pursuit. Notice between the two relief carved whales is a whale tail in scrimshaw design.
Yup'ik and Iñupiaq walrus ivory cribbage boards emerged in Alaska during the late 19th century. It combined traditional walrus ivory carving with European gaming customs. Created for whalers, traders, and tourists, these boards often feature intricate scrimshaw and high-relief scenes of Arctic life, including hunting, dog teams, and wildlife
While carving ivory is a thousand-year-old tradition, ivory cribbage boards became prominent in the 1890s, spurred by an influx of gold seekers, whalers, and a growing tourist trade. Carvers like Angokwazhuk, also known as "Happy Jack," are credited with developing this popular commercial style around 1890.
These boards allowed Alaska Native artists to share their stories, environment, and daily lives with outsiders, while adapting traditional skills to a profitable trade item
