Antique Sailor Made Scrimshawed Ruler and Presumed Busk Fragment slip painted pottery signed (incised) PAT on the

signed (incised) PAT on the underside

which is what I would do with it

At first I thought perhaps a young priest

an early American set

Antique Sailor Made Scrimshawed Ruler and Presumed Busk Fragment slip painted pottery signed (incised) PAT on theI'll never resist a handmade ruler, all the more so a sailor whaler made one, this one measuring seven inches. I found it along with what I believe is a fragment from a busk a common form for scrimshawing, to bring home to wives and sweethearts for use in corsets. The decoration on this one is minimal, but very fine, perhaps meant for a name to be engraved inside of it. Earlier than later 19th century New England I believe, lovely things. Ruler