Rare engraved whale ivory and tortoiseshell puzzle box for Bessie Penniman, probably Captain Edward Penniman (1831-1913) Cape Cod, Massachusetts, circa 1885

Inscribed side, ink: B.A. Penniman

Kristina Barbara Johnson, Princeton, New Jersey
Sotheby Parke-Bernet, "The Barbara Johnson Whaling Collection, Part III," April 29-30, 1983, lot 71

"Compass: Folk Art in Four Directions," New York, The South Street Seaport Museum, June 20-October 7, 2012

American Radiance: The Ralph Esmerian Gift to the American Folk Art Museum, p. 329, fig. 292

Appears to be in very good condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

These sophisticated puzzle boxes—there is a trick to making the lids slide open—are attributed to Captain Edward Penniman (1831-1913) of Eastham, Massachusetts. Penniman commanded his first ship, the New Bedford, Massachusetts, bark Minerva, in 1860 and again in 1864, followed by tours on the Cicero (1874), the Europa (1876), and the Jacob A. Howland (1881). A dedicated scrimshander, he is believed to have made the boxes while at sea.¹ In 1968 Donald Penniman, a distant cousin, recalled an "ivory and tortoiseshell box" as among the many scrimshaw articles that the celebrated captain fashioned; in some written materials it is referred to as "Bessie's puzzle box."²The "B.A. Penniman" inscribed on the side of one puzzle box is either Captain Penniman's wife, Elizabeth (Betsey) Augusta Knowles Penniman (1839-1921), or their daughter Bessie (1868-1957). The box is ingeniously carved from a sperm whale's tooth, and the inscription is embellished with a vignette of a robin perched upon a rosebush branch.

Mrs. Penniman was a frequent companion on her husband's voyages, and she kept a journal aboard the Minerva from 1864 to 1868.³ Captain Penniman's own shipboard Bible, account book, journals, souvenirs, and equipment are just some of the wealth of items from the Penniman family that survive. In 1867 Penniman began construction on his Fort Hill home—which is now part of the Cape Cod National Seashore—but did not retire for many more years. -K.R.M.

¹ Barbara Johnson, "E. Penniman," in catalog for Sotheby Parke-Bernet sale 5075, "Johnson Whaling Collection, Part III," 4/83, n.p.
² Hope Morrill, United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Cape Cod National Seashore, South Wellfleet, Mass., letter to Stacy C. Hollander, March 20, 2001 (AFAM files).
³ Augusta Penniman, Journal of a Whaling Voyage, 1864-1868 (Eastham, Mass.: Eastern National Park & Monument Association, 1988).