teeth.

Each about six inches long, the teeth came from sperm whales and are decorated with whaling scenes.

The scrimshaw was stolen recently during a break-in to the Park Road office of Mr. Hedley-Coates, a Hamilton architect who etched some of the scenes. Two large whale jaws were also stolen.

"They were on display on my desk,'' he said. "You can't really put a value on them,'' he said. While the value to others would be questionable, to him, "they were just priceless, really.'' Mr. Hedley-Coates, 50, arrived in Bermuda in 1976 aboard an old square-rigger called Regina Maris , which was here as part of a tall ship race.

He has pursued the hobby of making scrimshaw for about 20 years. Sailors used to pass time at sea on long voyages by polishing whale's teeth with a piece of shark skin, then etching a scene using a mollusc or a marlin spike.

Blackening would then be used to highlight the indented areas.

Because whales are a protected species and import of their teeth is banned, it is now almost "impossible'' to get material to make scrimshaw, Mr.

Hedley-Coates said.

Also stolen in the break-in was a digital camera which Mr. Hedley-Coates said cannot be used without the computer software that goes with it.

TEETH STOLEN -- Mr. Duncan Hedley-Coates is hoping for the safe return of ten to 12 pieces of scrimshaw stolen recently from his Hamilton office. As a hobby, the Hamilton architect etches maritime scenes on the teeth of sperm whales.