Maritime scrimshaw, a unique American art form, has its roots in the age of wooden ships. In the 18th Century, whaler sailing ships harvested whale and walrus blubber for lamp oil and candle wax. The sailors on whaling ships had a lot of spare time on board their ships. When not hunting and processing whales, mariners occupied free time etching and making small objects from whaling byproducts. Bones and teeth of sperm whales, baleen, and walrus tusks were readily available on board ship. These were a highly viable medium to produce hand tools, toys, utensils, and decorative pieces.

 Sailors etched pictures and nautical scenes on bone, teeth, and tusks using using sail sewing needles and small tools. Candle black, soot or tobacco juice was used to bring the etched drawings into view. The earliest authenticated pictorial scrimshaw piece appeared around 1817.

Most original nautical scrimshaw pieces were anonymous. Many of these scrimshaw engravings were adapted from books and papers.