19th Century Scrimshaw Bodkin with Pointing Hand Jesus on cross located in an old cotton

located in an old cotton mill in North Adams

A little pain loss around the edges of the tail and a few minor dings here and there

and I think pretty fabulous still

some animals (looking like cats to me) below

which looks to have been cut from a cigar box

19th Century Scrimshaw Bodkin with Pointing Hand Jesus on cross located in an old cottonAnother 19th century sailor whaler made bone bodkin with a hand at the opposite end, which I purchased from a longtime dealer of antique maritime objects. This a diminutive one, just a hair longer than 2 inches, which to me makes the carving of this pointing hand, whalebone I believe, seem all the more amazing. With nicely carved bands and stars characteristic of these, and a sharp point at the opposite end, useful for piercing fabric or pushing