~ ScrimshawMugs.com © ~ by Clifton Art you can feel! Boats, Ships, Lighthouses & Any Photo Now in 2 sizes! 8 oz (3 3/4" tall) & 12 oz (4 1/2" tall with non-skid bottom) Boat Show Specials! Link directly to pop-open page; How To Order and Order Form... Email questions to: clifton@scrimshawmugs.com

I will personally hand-engrave exclusisve custom scrimshaw mugs for you (or select from simply nautical themes). This is an artform and craft that you can either keep for yourself, or give as a perfect personal gift. Each one is a unique piece of art! Clifton

~ The Inspiration! ~

- The Kiss - Our Wedding Day 2005 We got married last spring aboard our sailboat with our guests watching from the dock. After the wedding I escorted the minister ashore then set sail with my bride, her two sons, and the flower girl, with the young ring bearer keeping watch on the foredeck. A friend captured the first kiss of our new life-long voyage in this photo. ~ The Cutwater Wedding ~

I engraved my first scrimshaw mug back in 1986. My early mugs I made only for personal use on our boat and for family & friends. This is the mug I engraved for my wife this year of that perfect wedding day aboard The Cutwater. (not for sale of course!) Engraved 2005 Introductory Offer! Actual size, 3 3/4" high, holding 8 oz. Also makes a great soda-can holder! - Now available in 12 oz size! - See; "Note about Photography Scrimshaw"

- Commissioned Works -

~ 1. Sailing ~

~ To help you decide on what you want on your scrimshaw, take a look at what others have had me engrave!

The first examples below are sailboat scrimshaw works of client's sailboats. I've created this from photographs of specific boats, and from photos from sailboat catalogs.

If you will provide a boat drawing or any other photo, nautical or otherwise, I will engrave it into a unique, exclusive, keepsake mug for you!

(If you want to jump-scroll to a different catagory, select one from the list along the far-left, "View catagory of mugs.")

~ Chutzpah ~ Hunter 37 Long Island Sound

Commissioned Scrimshaw Mug #2 ~ Chutzpah ~ 9/30/2005/2 Mug now in Huntington Harbor, Long Island, New York

Husband, wife and friend sailing couple's Precision 21

Commissioned Scrimshaw Mug #4   ~ Rosalita III ~ His/Her Set Client wanted a his/her set of mugs for he and his wife. Wife's name engraved on opposite side. Picture of husband & wife sailing. (Third person removed from image. Motor removed from picture. Husband ordered a his/her set. See Serial Num 11 for second scrimshaw in set.) Commissioned Scrimshaw Mug #11  10/5/2005/4 Mug now in Iowa City, Iowa

~ Chutzpah ~ Hunter 37

Commissioned Scrimshaw Mug #5   ~ Front & Back of Mug ~ Client sails with her buddy each year on his sailboat in the Around Long Island Regatta. Client wanted a gift for her friend to commemorate their yearly challenge. Text was engraved on opposite side in a calligraphy script style. 11/5/2005/5 Huntington Harbor, Long Island, New York

Client's new sailboat rehab project

Commissioned Scrimshaw Mug #6   Client purchased a project boat. While he hasn't gotten her under sail at this time, he wanted a picture to help him see the time when he'd be under sail. 5/11/2006/6 Humboldt Bay Northern Coast of California

Client sailing, with friend at helm.

Commissioned Scrimshaw Mug #10   Friend removed and client now at helm. Boat name and number engraved in calligraphy style script. 11/15/2005/10 Huntington Harbor, Long Island, New York

Commissioned Scrimshaw Mug #13 ~ Schooner & Morning Glory ~ Client had this interesting photo of his 24 foot sailboat, Morning Glory, sailing on a lake in New York crossing paths with a beautiful large old schooner. I engraved a panorama mug showing the schooner and the smaller sailboat. To improve the look I "backed up" the schooner so that the two sailboats wouldn't look so much like they are colliding. Because the hills are an integral part of the client's sailing area, he wanted them included, but in a subdued way. So I just included an outline of the background hills. I so enjoyed the resulting scrimshaw I had a hard time shipping this one to the client! ~ Schooner & Morning Glory ~ 10/5/2005/13 Mug now in Iowa City, Iowa

Client has two sets of friends who own sailboats. Client requested two sets of His/Her mugs of her friend's sailboats. Client only had catalog photos of each boat.

Commissioned Scrimshaw Mugs 15 & 16   His (Larger 12 oz mugs) Hers At my suggestion, I engraved the husband's and wife's name on the opposite side in a calligraphy style script. 12/15/2005/15 Mug now in New Jersey

Catalog photo showing Golden Gate Bridge in background. While it's a nice photo, the client's friends sail on the East Coast so client wanted the bridge removed from the scrimshaw.

Commissioned Scrimshaw Mugs 17 & 18   His (Larger 12 oz mugs) I liked the angle that this catalog photo was taken from. While it is not a high wind day, the heal of of the boat results in a dynamic picture. Hers 12/15/2005/16 Mug now in New Jersey

Order a collection of hand-engraved mugs of boats that you have owned, and of photos of memorable voyages you and your crew have sailed on...

~ Huntington Harbor Light, Long Island ~ 9/8/2001

For Boat, Home & Office... - Huntington Harbor Light -  A keepsake where you can actually feel the etched picture under your fingertips. (Engraved 2005) Hand-etched from your own photo. $22 Introductory Offer for 8 oz ($27 for 12 oz) See; "Note about photograph scrimshaw"

~My Call on Long Island Sound ~ Capture that memorable voyage with special friends...

For Boat, Home & Office... - Voyage With Friends -  A keepsake where you can actually feel the etched picture under your fingertips. (Engraved 2005) Hand-etched from your own photo. $22 Introductory Offer for 8 oz ($27 for 12 oz) See; "Note about photograph scrimshaw"

~ Loingseach ~ Delaware River

For Home & Office...   - Friend's Sailboat, Loingseach -  A keepsake where you can actually feel the etched picture under your fingertips. (Engraved 2005) Hand-etched from your own photo. $22 Introductory Offer for 8 oz ($27 for 12 oz) See; "Note about photograph scrimshaw"

~ WOW! ~

For Home & Office... - Friend's Sailboat -  A keepsake where you can actually feel the engraved picture under your fingertips. (Engraved 2005) Hand-engraved from your own photo. 8 oz. $22 or 12 oz. for $28 See; "Note about Photograph Scrimshaw" below.

The above mugs are $20-$25 each.
(The more details, in your photo or picture [the more masts and sails etc.] the more work to engrave.)

Send photo for quote on work. Typically 8 oz, one sailboat (one mast) $20. A 12 oz $25.

Email questions to: clifton@scrimshawmugs.com

~ You may order one from the Basic Sailing Rig Collection below at lower cost. While these are not signed or serialized, each one is still hand engraved so each one is still an exclusive one of a kind piece of art!

Build a Unique Custom Collection! - After purchasing one or two custom mugs of your own boat or scene, you might want some of these basic ones for your guests!

- Never again would one have to ask, "Which drink is mine??!!"

2. Choose from
~ The Basic Sailing Rig Collection ~
($12-$17)

You can choose to have the picture in your mug look like one of these, or any other sailing rig or ship that you specify.

Cutter 8 oz. $12 (12 oz available, $17)

Sloop 8 oz. $12 (12 oz available, $17)

Cat rig 8 oz. $12 (12 oz available, $17)

Lateen 8 oz. $12 (12 oz available, $17)

~ Any Model of Sailboat If You Provide Line-drawing ~

(Any model of sailboat if you provide a line-drawing of it.) Catalina 22 8 oz. $12 (12 oz available, $17)

(Any model of sailboat if you provide a line-drawing of it.) Venture 17 8 oz. $12 (12 oz available, $17)

Dolphin Sr. with clouds, birds & water 8 oz. $12 (12 oz available, $17) (Or provide a line drawing of any model of sailboat)

Larger vessels...

The Barque Elissa 8 oz. $14 (12 oz available, $19) The Elissa at Galveston, Texas

Schooner 8 oz. $14 (12 oz available, $19)

Ketch 8 oz. $14 (12 oz available, $19)

To find line drawings of many sailboats, click to pop-open a new browser window to Cruising World's 1998 Sailor's Sourcebook old.cruisingworld.com/ssbk/ssboandx.htm

~ Buy a set of four, each different! ~ Never again hear, "Is this my drink or yours??" Buy 3 of any from the Basic Sailing Rig collection, each 8 oz. $12 or 12 oz. for $17 Plus one custom mug engraved from a photograph of your own boat! 8 oz. $22 or 12 oz. for $28 (12 oz. mug has non-skid bottom) All commissioned mugs are be serialized & signed. - All include an attractive Certificate of Authenticity card, also dated and signed by the artist/craftsman. (See link to example cards below under Ordering Info.)  Art you can use! Art you can feel! Create a collection of mugs depicting the boats you have owned, or dreamed of owning! Each of the Basic Sailing Rig mugs are all hand-engraved scrimshaw.

~ 3. Maritime State Quarters ~

The Rhode Island quarter, the third quarter of the 2001 series, honors the "Ocean State."  Featuring a vintage sailboat gliding through Rhode Island's famous Narragansett Bay, and an image of the Pell Bridge in the background, with the design showcasing Rhode Island's most popular sport-sailing. With more than 400 miles of coastline, Rhode Island, the smallest state in the Union, has more than 100 fresh water and salt water beaches.  Known as the "sailing capital" of the world, Rhode Island was home to the America's Cup for more than 50 years.  Narragansett Bay is crucial to the architecture of Rhode Island.  An inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, extending into eastern Rhode Island, the Bay receives four major rivers, and has several islands. Selection of the design began when Governor Lincoln Almond issued an order authorizing the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts to organize a Coin Concept Advisory Panel.  More than 500 design concepts were submitted to the panel, and three finalists were chosen.  Rhode Island residents were invited to vote for their favorite design at area libraries, the Statehouse and via the Internet.  The sailboat design was declared the winner, earning 57 percent of the 34,566 votes cast.

- Rhode Island - 8 oz. $22 or 12 oz. for $28

Other state quarters with maritime themes can be engraved.

~ 4. Lighthouses ~

Provide any lighthouse photo and the image will be engraved into your mug!

• Provide a photo of your favorite collectable, or...
• Provide a snapshot of a lighthouse that you visited that will forever remind you of that wonderful vacation trip you had!

8 oz. $22 or 12 oz. for $27

Son's painting on his bedroom wall

Commissioned Scrimshaw Mug #14   ~ Bedroom Wall Lighthouse ~   Client provided photo of a lighthouse. After studying the image I asked client if there was a story behind it. In the provided photo, it looked like the lighthouse was painted on a wall. He explained that he wanted the scrimshaw for his wife for her office. The client has allowed me to share the story with you. He wrote... Clifton: The painting was done by my 23 year old son. There is a long story behind it. This room, now my wife's office, was once my son's room. When he was about six years old, my wife had him paint dinosaurs on the walls. When he moved back home after college, he wanted to paint over them. My wife told him that he could not unless he first took a picture by them and then agreed that when he moved out, he would paint a lighthouse on the wall for her. Thus, the lighthouse! My wife has a coffee maker in the office and wanted some lighthouse mugs for the coffee. For Christmas, I went to Google to look for lighthouse mugs. That was when I came across your website. I am really looking forward to seeing your work. The check is in the mail. Hopefully you will get it soon and my son can give it to my wife for Christmas. Thanks! -Frank I hope you will allow me to help you save your own personal stories! -Clifton 10/5/2005/14 Mug now in Iowa City, Iowa

~ 5. Scrimshaw of Your Photograph! ~

Scrimshaw made from any photograph you provide

Mom & Dad! Have that special photo permanently engraved onto your home or office mug to always have with you. To remind yourself what all your hard work is for!

For Home & Office...     - Boy With Ice Cream example -  A keepsake where you can actually feel the engraved picture under your fingertips. (Engraved 2005) (Clutter removed. Dogs head and unknown woman have been removed from scrimshaw picture.) Hand-engraved from your own photo. 8 oz. $22 or 12 oz. for $28 See; "Note about Photograph Scrimshaw"

Mom & Dad! With your help, your child got the trophy! You can have a mug on your desk showing the event! (With other people cropped out of the photo!)

For Home & Office...   - Girl With Trophy example -  A keepsake where you can actually feel the engraved picture under your fingertips. (Engraved 2005) (Clutter removed. Hand of other award winner has been removed from scrimshaw picture) Hand-engraved from your own photo. 8 oz. $22 or 12 oz. for $28 See; Note about Photograph Scrimshaw

Scrimshaw Mug #1 ...So I offered my first ten publicly offered engraved mugs through eBay, not knowing what picture people would want on their mug. The winning bidder for mug Number 1 seems to have read what my goals are with my scrimshaw and with my book projects. She thought about what she wanted on her mug, then said...    Hello Clifton; Since I have the honor of winning the 1st mug in the series, I would like my picture to be an etching of your face, close up, full face or profile. Thanks, -Kate   Okay... My wife suggested this photo that she took of me the morning after our wedding, sitting in a Adirondack. chair on the porch of the bed and breakfast that we stayed at, Back in Thyme...     Commissioned Scrimshaw Mug #1 ~ Clifton ~ A Self Portrait 9/8/2001 Mug now in West Fargo, North Dakota

Gift for client's friend. Friend's Shis Tsu dog

Commissioned Scrimshaw Mug #3 - Dasiy Mae - 10/2/2005/3 Mug now in Austin, Texas

Client's son-in-law & daughter

Commissioned Scrimshaw Mug #7   ~ Son-in-law & Daughter ~ 11/28/2005/7 Mug now in Coconut Creek Florida

The client's daughter had been a tour guide at Williamsburg

Commissioned Scrimshaw Mug #8   The photo was spread out so much and their daughter was almost out of the picture. To condense the image. I moved the daughter over center, to be between the gate and flag. I removed the tourist from picture. Now the focus is on their daughter and location. 11/15/2005/8 Mug now in St. Louis, Missouri

Photo cluttered with chairs, full bookcase, table, etc.

Commissioned Scrimshaw Mug #9   Client's son at piano Clutter removed from image, focusing on client's son.. 11/15/2005/9 mug in St. Louis, Missouri

Picture of car like client's husband's.

Commissioned Scrimshaw Mug #12   Gift for client's husband. His car. Client provided photo of car like her husbands, pictured in front of someone's house. Client wanted engraving of car only. 12/15/2005/12 Mug now in Bartlesville, Oklahoma

- Note about Photography Scrimshaw - ScrimshawMugs.com is part art form and part craft. If you provide a photo, the central item in your photo will be hand engraved into the mug. Clutter images such as the other person's hand below or unknown people in the background can be removed! The background cut into the mug will be shading. Background details will not be included. See example comparisons above, "Boy with Ice cream", "Girl With Trophy" and "Friend's Sailboat".

~ Boat Show Special ~ Getting ready for the new boating season? Buy hand-engraved mugs with pictures of your boat and favorite sailing scenes such as that lighthouse that guides you home! Or select photos of family or a photo of them at their favorite activity! You can't get a more personal present for your family, friends, or for yourself, than a mug for them of their activity, with each line hand-engraved scrimshawed done here in the U.S. An exclusive one of a kind gift, just for them personally! Gift card included on request. (See Ordering details.) 8 oz. (shown) Or 12 oz. (with non-skid bottom)  Art you can use! Art you can feel!

Useful Mugs! The artificial ivory polymer mugs should not just sit on a shelf. They are completely usable. This is an artform that you can actually feel the picture! Do not hesitate to touch the engraved images! While dishwasher safe, it is suggested that you hand wash your mug to ensure long-lasting beauty. The mugs, including the scrimshaw image, are incredibly durable. Clifton has had the above 1986-engraved mugs aboard his sailboat, getting tossed and bumped about, drunk from and washed and rinsed ever since! As you can see in these photos above that were taken recently, any dings only added character to this artform that you can also use! Each of the mugs now have their own story to tell about the voyages that they've been on! As the saying goes, "A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are for!" Apply this metaphor to these mugs too!

- Product Detail - Artificial ivory polymer mug (8 oz or 12 oz), all with hand-engraved scrimshawed picture. Each commissioned mug will be signed on the bottom by the artist with the date and a serial number that is recorded by the artist/craftsmen. Each mug will include a signed and dated Certificate of Authenticity (A small copy of the photo will be part of the certificate. See webpage Ordering Info for examples of card options, Standard Card or Gift Card.) A photo of each mug will be archived on this website along with the photo that each piece is modeled after.

What is scrimshaw? Scrimshaw is an American artform. It was a century-old pastime of indigenous Americans along the Northwest Coast, then adopted and spread by world-traveling whaling seafarers of the 1700's & 1800's. With often long periods between chasing a whale and processing its oil for lamp fuel (in a time before refined petroleum fuels), whalers took the teeth, bones, jawbones, and baleen of the whale and scratched pictures into the surface. They used whatever sharp steel instrument was available for engraving such as their knives and sail needles. Various resources were used to color the lines including such things as rubbing in lamp black and whale oil, sepia (cuttlefish ink), and tobacco juice into the engraved lines to bring out the picture. Affordable scrimshaw- My goal is to follow the form of the original sailor-artist. This was the voyager who was trying to tell a story. I hope you'll let me help you tell your story. -Clifton

Commissioned One-Of-A-Kind Scrimshaw Mugs To Support Book Projects...   Dear Sailors & Friends, I began engraving scrimshaw mugs in 1986 for family and friends. Now for the first time I am offering commissioned scrimshaw mugs to the public! I am offering these to support my book projects. With this introduction, anyone can purchase their own scrimshaw mug, commissioned with any photograph they select, engraved into the mug. Each commissioned mug will be dated, serialized and signed by the artist. Your investment will be threefold! 1. You will be purchasing a scrimshaw picture unique to you because you will supply a photo of what you want engraved. Because this is art, you can request the engraved image to be modified from the original photo. So if there is background clutter, it will not be part of the engraved scrimshaw picture (such as the other person in the trophy photo above has been removed). 2. Because I am just now offering these to the public, the value of your investment will increase in time! 3. This artist is also an unpublished writer, working on two book projects, both of which will become famous in their own right. One book is a historical account about a very unusual young woman sailing ship stowaway of the 1920s. The other book project is a children's book series. These are realistic pint-sized animal and children's adventure stories with nature and nautical themes. Once these two book projects are recognized, you will be seeing this writer/artist on shows such as Oprah. Imagine that you had purchased artwork done by J. K. Rowling, before her Harry Potter books had been published! Here is your chance to own art by someone who will become famous both in children's literature and in historical women's work. Thank you for supporting my work! -Clifton

How to order your mugs!....

Email questions to: clifton@scrimshawmugs.com

Top... 

~ ~ ~