A general trader ship named the Thessalus which was built in 1874 is depicted on this piece. It also features a banner above which reads "Thessalus" with "Built 1874" above, and "✭ General Trader ✭" below. 
 
The artist's name "Mike Cohen" alongside his initals "MC" are carved on the left side by the back of the boat. 
 
Scrimshaw orginated in the late 18th or early 19th century as the art of carving whale bone, ivory, and teeth aboard whale ships. The crew on whalers had plenty of leisure time between sighting and chasing whales, and would typically create these as gifts for their loved ones. Whaling scenes, ships idyllic homesteads, women , and patrotic motifs are a few of the images typically depicted as they were important to the sailors creating them.