Featured Carved Vanitas Skull - Whale Bone??

Greetings All

I recently picked this 9.5" carved bone Vanitas? Skull with real teeth and I am having trouble finding much out about it. I still Think it is amazingly cool. It was out of Art Dealer / Collector Allan Stone's NY estate.

Base is 4" and the Skull is 2.5"x4" high.

It all appears to be carved out of the same Bone. The vesicles in the bone are absolutely huge and that is why I am wondering if it is whale bone.

The teeth are not human but they are seamlessly mounted in the skull and the jaw.

A glass eye was modified / cracked and inserted in one eye. Not sure when that was done, but it has been there for a while.

Could it be some sort of Sailor carved item? It is definitely not a new carving. The base has warped since it was turned.

Any Ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Best Regards
Rob

 

Wow that is creepy! Are those real teeth??

 

Stunning piece! Love it! Appeals to my love of the macabre. Took me back to when I was a kid and used to watch Tales from the Crypt.
It's a keeper!!!

 

If it was sold at one of the Stone collections auctions, would there not be a catalog record, with provenance? Or you could enquire of the estate executor for a possible inventory listing. Perhaps someone will remember it!

 

Hello Again
I bought it at an Auction in Philadelphia where I had bought a couple other creepy Items from the Stone Collection months before. I bought this big Sharon Kopriva sculpture there (PS not human remains). His Daughter made a documentary about him before his death and both items are seen in his living room. Unfortunately, he was a prolific collector with interesting items and curiosities filling his large home. Most of his big dollar items went through through Christie's. I will make some inquiries but after watching the Documentary, it sounds like Allan came home with new items daily.

I guess I also have a passion for creepy and interesting items.

Best Regards
Rob

 

Your little skull does look like whale bone (or some other marine mammal), possibly made from a vertebra. The jaw looks to be made from a denser type of bone. It may be made from the lower jaw of a whale, often referred to as "pan" bone, which is the densest part of a whale skeleton after the teeth, or from another animal. The base and stand also look like whale bone.

The teeth look like real primate teeth, possibly those from a small female monkey.

 

Wait, isnt this the guy who bought "The Hands Resist Him"?

 

No, the buyer of "The Hands Resist Him" was John Marley. Painted by Bill Stoneham. Lots of info here: https://www.stonehamstudios.com/haunted

 

I believe you have found the true skull of undead charlatan knight, Sir Daniel Fortesque, from the game "MediEvil" ! I have the original playstation game...the new version has such wonderful graphics and i am by no means a gamer at age 59. Your skull gave me a chuckle... I am sure my 5 year old will "dig it" also !!!

 

Ah, thx for the clearup!