As has been discussed before in a previous list, an artisan craft is the practice of creating an item made to serve one or more practical functions and be influential as an artistic work. Though some of the entries on this list serve no practical purpose other than artistic merit and aesthetics, they are all the more welcome as they borrow from similar skill-sets to craft. The focus of this list is on the more intriguing and lesser-known artisan crafts but is also composed of suggestions in demand from the previous list. As such I have tried to include as much information on the crafts mentioned that I have deemed relevant and informative, and as a result, some of the list entries are longer than others. Feel free to suggest or mention your own craft in the comments!
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Scrimshaw
Scrimshaw is the handiwork of carving and engraving the byproducts of marine mammals, most commonly the bones and teeth of sperm whales, the baleen of other whales, and the tusks of walruses. The practice originated on whaling ships around the 1750s on the Pacific Ocean, and was largely practiced until the ban on commercial whaling. The practice still survives as a hobby and as a trade for commercial artisans. A maker of scrimshaw is known as a scrims hander.
