Antique Sailor Made Scrimshawed Ruler and Presumed Busk Fragment slip painted pottery At first I thought perhaps

At first I thought perhaps a young priest

from “The Carpenter’s Boy” to “Crazy Ann” (driven to madness from the loss of her love to a shipwreck) to William Tell

and beautiful tiny thing

Closed: 14 1/4" x 6 1/4" x 1 7/8"

Signed on the bottom "Lapid Israel" and "D"

Antique Sailor Made Scrimshawed Ruler and Presumed Busk Fragment slip painted pottery At first I thought perhapsI'll never resist a handmade ruler, all the more so a sailor whaler made one, this one measuring seven inches. I found it along with what I believe is a fragment from a busk a common form for scrimshawing, to bring home to wives and sweethearts for use in corsets. The decoration on this one is minimal, but very fine, perhaps meant for a name to be engraved inside of it. Earlier than later 19th century New England I believe, lovely things. Ruler