Look Out for Ostrich Egg Scrimshaw

Watch out for a decorated ostrich egg with the scrimshawed words “Chastisement, the penalty for attempted freedom, 1851” on a banner near a barefoot slave. The eggs are new, said to be made in ostrich farms in South Africa. Very appealing, and since there is no recognized antique decorated ostrich egg for comparison, fooling many. We realized a large tortoise shell with inscribed pictures of U.S. presidents and banners was too good to be true years ago in London, so we didn’t buy it. They still sell copies at the big fleas as authentic.