PROFUSELY ENGRAVED AND POLYCHROME COLORED SCRIMSHAW DITTY BOX. The sides decorated with a house, shrubbery, flowers and an image of a swan. Has three nicely fashioned pinned fingers holding it together. The top rim with a matching finger and fully engraved with a leafy floral vine. The oval whalebone top with portraits of two women and a young girl beneath a swag border. The bottom is wood. Condition overall very good noting old loss of a few slivers of bone along the very top edge of the lid and a small old repair above the house on that same rim surrounding the lid.  Barely noticeable except under the closest scrutiny. Deep, desirable age color throughout. 5 1/2" l. x 4 1/4" w. x 3" h. Circa 1830. Illustrated on the first page in Alan Granby's new book "Wandering Whalemen and Their Art, A Collection of Scrimshaw Masterpieces". A very attractive example of its type.