SCRIMSHAW & WHALING
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4.58 WHALEBONE MARKING DEVICE. Authentic old sailor’s tool from the age of sail, carved entirely from a single piece of the dense bone from a sperm whale’s jaw. This simple yet clever tool was designed to lay out pre-set distances on sail cloth for sewing. To those ends there are a variety of stepped edges with various widths carved into the ends of the tool for the sail maker to choose from. 5 3/5 inches long, 1 1/8 inches wide and 5/8 inches thick. Excellent original condition exhibiting a rich deep age patina showing much use but no abuse. 389 |
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4.90 SCRIMSHAW REFERENCE BOOK. Edouard A. Stackpole, "Scrimshaw At Mystic Seaport," 1958, Second printing 1966, The Marine Historical Association, Incorporated, Mystic, Connecticut, 53 pages, hard cloth cover with dust jacket. Written in 1955, Everett Crosby's landmark book, "Susan's Teeth and Much About Scrimshaw" was the first book ever published on the topic of scrimshaw. The book offered here was published just 3 years later as a more scholarly and comprehensive "introduction to scrimshaw." Accordingly, the book's introduction is well worth quoting: "A century ago the American whale fishery, the most extensive and lucrative in world history, was just past its peak. As a theme for adventure in industry, whaling had few peers. As a nursery for seamen it was unrivaled. By the same token it was one of the hardest and most brutal seafaring activities the world has ever known. The whalemen of New England established a record for daring and enterprise that was never equaled. At first whales were taken near shore. In 1716, Capt. Christopher Hussey of Nantucket, sighted and killed a sperm whale at sea off that island, thus beginning one of the most exciting chapters in American Maritime history which culminated in voyages around the world sometime lasting 4 and 5 years! It was during those long arduous, but often monotonous trips that scrimshaw gave creative relief to the sailors. It is against this backdrop that the marvelous creations contained within these chapters are presented." Excellent original condition. Ex. Libris. 14 |
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4.56 WHALESHIP DISCHARGE. Original hand-written document on heavy rag paper constituting the discharge of seven crewmen from the American whaleship GRATITUDE in the port of Honolulu, Hawaii on November 30, 1847. This manuscript sates that the men have been paid and absolve the owners of any demands against the ship or charges of assault and battery. Three of the crewmen sign with "X, his mark." 7 ½ by 12 inches. Excellent original condition. Blind stamp upper left. Originally sold by Ten Pound Island Books in 1997 for $125. 49 |
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4.57 WHALESHIP ARRIVAL CLEARANCE. Original official document of the Port of San Francisco proclaiming the "GENERAL CLEARANCE" of the American whaleship GRATITUDE which entered the port on December 8, 1864. Pre-printed on light blue paper with a spread-winged eagle holding the banner "E. PLURIBUS UNUM." Entries done in cursive script. 8 by 10 inches appended with 3 additional pages concerning consular fees. Excellent original condition. Originally sold by Ten Pound Island Books in 1997 for $100. 49 |
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4.96 REFERENCE BOOK, “The WHALERS.” Certainly our favorite amongst all of the wonderful, awarding winning Time-Life series books The Seafarers, authored by noted maritime historian, A.B.C. Wipple, and published by Time, Inc., Alexandria, Virginia in 1979. This book chronicles one of the most dangerous and exciting pursuits in American maritime history. It opens with the primitive whale fishery begun when America was a struggling colony and ends in the waning days of whaling when America had advanced to preeminence as the world’s leading industrial nation. The intervening years were dominated by the remarkable struggle between man and the largest beast on earth, played out thousands of times. It yielded oil for the nation’s lamps and raw materials for its manufacturing. Every aspect of that industry, both at sea and ashore is covered here. The lives of the men, their ships, wives, and their ports of call -- all make for fascinating reading. Then there was that most amazing by-product of the whaling industry SCRIMSHAW! Beautifully illustrated in color and black white, with original paintings, drawings, diagrams, photographs and more! Hard faux leather cover, 173 pages exclusive of index. Unused condition. 69 |
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4.54 SCRIMSHAW LETTER OPENER. Genuine mid-19th century American whaleman-made utilitarian scrimshaw in the form of a rarely found letter opener. This unique example is constructed entirely of the dense panbone of a sperm whale’s jaw. The long thin blade is slightly thicker down the middle, tapering to a fine edge on both sides. It is attached to the handle with a perfect mortised fit using two silver rivets to hold it in place. The joint is decoratively-rounded with a carved ridge at the base of the handle. This letter opener measures 9 ¼ inches long overall. The blade is 5 ¾ inches and the handle is 5 inches (accounting for the joint). Outstanding original condition with a nice age patina indicative of its 150+ years. 329 |
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4.55 WHALEBONE MARKING GAUGE. Genuine mid-19th century American shipboard carpenter’s tool fashioned entirely out of the dense panbone from a sperm whale’s jaw with a sperm whale tooth locking pin! This working tool also known as a “scribe” consists of a square bar or “timber” 8 ¼ inches long. It fits within a precisely mortised slot in sliding head or “follower.” In use the head is set at the desired distance from the iron scribing spike, using the tapered ivory key to lock it in place. The tool is then drawn along the edge of the work piece, describing a precise parallel line at the preset distance. This handsome old example is made from rich, creamy bone with a nice age patina and stains indicative of years of actual use. The timber measures ½ inches square. The head is 1 ¾ by 1 ½ inches and 9/16 inches thick. Outstanding original condition and still functional. A rare scrimshaw tool. 950 ex. Paul Madden Antiques. First sold in the 1980’s. Offered now at the same price! The original price tag accompanies this offering. The late Paul Madden of Sandwich, Massachusetts (Cape Cod) was widely recognized as the preeminent scrimshaw authority in the 1970’s until his death in 2009. Among his famous clients was the late John Kennedy Jr., son of President Kennedy, who was an avid collector of scrimshaw, and whose collection now resides in the Kennedy Library in Boston. |
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4.52 MOUNTED SCRIMSHAW PAIR.
Very fine, and extremely rare matched pair of 19th century
scrimshawed whales teeth mounted on a teak base. This
authentic whaleman’s work depicts a handsome king and
his lovely queen from a much earlier period. The era
is that of Tudor England in the early 16th century.
The intaglio engraving is deep and bold, nicely executed
with excellent detail. The king is shown wearing a
distinctive cross within an oval shield on his chest.
Both he and the queen are attired in ermine, a fur reserved
for royalty during the Renaissance. These matching
sperm whale’s teeth are 6 ¼ inches high and 2
inches wide each. They are mounted to a sculpted solid
teak bas measuring 7 by 5 inches. Outstanding
original condition in all respects. Both of these
whale’s teeth have acquire a rich age patina, just the
way collectors like them. Ex. Sotheby’s Parke Bernet The identity of this couple is said to be King James IV of Scotland and his wife, Margaret Tudor, daughter of Henry VII. James was King of Scots from 1488 until his death in 1513. He was regarded as one of the most successful Stewart Monarchs of Scotland. Unfortunately his reign ended with the disastrous defeat of his army at the Battle of Flodden Field where he became the last monarch from all of Great Britain, to be killed in battle. James recognized that peace between Scotland and England was in the interest of both countries, and established good diplomatic relations with England. He also saw the importance in building a fleet that could provide Scotland with a strong maritime presence. He founded two new dockyards and built 38 ships for the Royal Scottish Navy. James was a true Renaissance prince with an interest in practical and scientific matters and was a patron of the arts. He was well educated, a fluent polyglot and was highly esteemed by his own people as well as abroad. It is obvious that a 19th century American sailor, concerned with honor, fair play and an interest in ships, admired the traits of this famous King, did his part to immortalize James. Very likely the scrimshander himself had Scottish roots, as did many American sailors in the 19th century. In a reference book by Roger Baynton-Williams, “Investing In Maps,” 1969, Design Yearbook Limited, London, a color plate on page 48 is captioned “Vrints: North Italy, published by Ortelius 1608.” Prominent in the central cartouche are two griffins flanking an identical cross within an oval shield as that worn by the king in this offering. |
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4.43 WHALEBONE WHISTLE. Genuine 19th century whistle made entirely of whalebone! This lovely example of old sailor craftsmanship was beautifully turned in a pleasingly bulbous form from a solid piece of sperm whale pan bone which was hollowed out. The hollow was then filled with a trilling ball and a wooden plug. It is fitted with a turned stem rove through with a small hole for hanging on a necklace or thong. When blown this whistle produces a loud, shrill sound with a modulated tone. It measures 2 3/8 inches long and 7/8 inches wide. Outstanding original condition with a nice age patina. 249 |
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4.51 SCRIMSHAW BOWIE KNIFE/CRIBBAGE BOARD. Truly exceptional Eskimo knife fashioned entirely out of a walrus tusk ivory. This incredible example of native North American ethnic art was made by a master artisan with superb skills. The long thin (about 1/16th inch) blade is made of a single solid piece of walrus tusk 10 inches long. Once side is engraved (scrimshawed) with a dog team pulling a sled with an Eskimo mushing. The reverse of the blade is engraved with the most delicate floral pattern in the form of lovely leaves. The blade is mortised into a solid walrus tusk handle secured with two ivory pins. A stout hilt separates the two. The unique handle is decorated with an image of a stalking arctic weasel while the reverse is an amazingly precise cribbage board decorated with recurring leaf patterns. Circa 1920. 14 3/8 inches long overall by 3 inches wide on the hilt. Absolutely perfect original condition with a mellow age patina. 1895 In Dorothy Jean Ray’s monumental and ground breaking work “Eskimo Art, Tradition and Innovation in North Alaska” 1977, Henry Art Gallery, Seattle, no examples are depicted which even approach the quality or construction of this rare example. A genuine a museum piece in every respect! Ex. Sotheby’s Parke Bernet |
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4.39 SCRIMSHAW PIE CRIMPER.
Fine, mid-19th century American jagging wheel made entirely
out of whale tooth ivory. The finely
crenelated wheel is suspended on a silver axle running
through two prongs on the front of the one-piece
handle. The slightly curving body of the handle is
nicely reticulated with open work designs and a large
heart. The edges are decoratively carved with
recurring scallops and ridges. Outstanding original
condition with no cracks, breaks or chips. The handle
has acquired a rich age patina and is slightly twisted –
a good indicator of old whale tooth ivory. 5 ¾
inches long overall and 1 5/8ths inches wide at the
widest. The wheel is 1 7/8th inches in diameter.
From the collection of a Fairhaven, Massachusetts whaling family. |
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4.49 SPERMACETI CANDLES. Mint, untouched boxed pair of rare spermaceti candles manufactured on the island of Nantucket from the scarce waxy substance found in the “case” or head of a sperm whale. The lid of the box reads, “SPERMACETI CANDLES from Nantucket Island, Mass. A spermaceti candle provided a soft light which was equal to the flame of four other candles and burned twice as long. That candles could be made form “spermaceti,” as it was called, was discovered during the latter half of the 18th century.” The box is 11 ¼ inches long. The two candles are 11 inches long each. 249 |
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BOX
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4.46 WHALE OIL. Very scarce, early 1900’s can of precious sperm whale oil with the original full label still in tact. It reads: “NYE’S CLELBRATED OIL “Manufactured by Wm. F. NYE, Inc. Ne2w Bedford, Mass, U.S.A.” Stamped in the middle is the nomenclature “38? F.C.T. –B.W. SPERM.” At the top is an oval picture of a sperm whale in a flurry with a whale boat, captioned “THE CAPTURE.” This authentic tin can of sperm whale oil is unmarked as to size, but it appears to be one pint. The original contents are more than one half full. The can, with original screw-on metal cap has some minor dents but is otherwise in very good condition. 6 inches tall by 4 inches wide and 1 2/4 inches thick. 295 |
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4.46 DECORATED SCRIMSHAW
FID. Genuine, turn-of-the-last century
sailor-made fid fashioned out of a single piece of the dense
panbone from a sperm whale’s jaw. This handsome
working tool has a rounded knob to fit in the palm. It
is connected by a cylindrical shaft which enlarges to a
stout tapering shaft ending in a sharp point. Such
fids or “Marlin spikes” were used for working
the strands in a line for splicing and other related
ropework. This scarce example has the added feature of
being beautifully scrimshawed with a classic
spread-winged American eagle at the top. 8 inches long
and 1 ¼ inches in diameter at the widest.
Outstanding original condition with a light age
patina. It is rare to find sailor tools of whalebone,
with the added desirability of being decorated with
scrimshaw. |
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4.45 SCRIMSHAW LETTER OPENER. Particularly fine 19th century whaleman-made letter opener fashioned entirely of whale tooth with inlays of silver and abalone! This rarely found form of scrimshaw features a long, thin blade carved out of a large whale tooth affixed to a whale ivory handle with a silver pin. The sculpted handle features multiple inlays of abalone shell in the form of diamonds, leaves and an acorn with silver stems, a rectangle and a square with triangles. Workmanship is of the highest order and the effect is most pleasing. 8 ½ inches long overall. The blade measures 5 inches long and the handle is 3/8ths inch thick. Fabulous original condition in all respects with a very nice age patina to the ivory. The blade is slightly warped with age -- quite typical of items fashioned from ivory when it was still “green.” Actually this is a good sign, indicating it was made aboard a whaleship! A real rarity in scrimshaw, very reasonably priced for the very exquisite work it embodies. 389 |
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4.42 IDENTIFIED DARTING HARPOON. Authentic 19th century American toggle harpoon known as a “darting iron.” This genuine relic from the whale fishery is impressed “COLE” just forward of the pivot point on the toggle. Then just behind it is punched mark “LB” (larboard boat) done by a sailor on the ship to denote the harpoon’s position on the larboard or left side (port) of the ship’s whaleboats. This fine example of American whalecraft has a cast steel toggle head fitted to an iron shaft with a pivoting pin in the manner first conceived by African-American smithy Lewis Temple. At the tail end of the shaft a loop was forge welded for fastening a line. The end terminates in a sharp point which would have been swaged into a wooden harpoon pole. 39 inches long overall. The toggle measures 7 inches. Condition is excellent and original, noting expected pitting from actual use at sea. 1200 The concept of fastening to a whale and simultaneously
killing it was an important goal pursued by many inventors
during America’s golden age of whaling. Several
types of darting guns were designed, beginning in the 1860’s.
All shared the same basic concept The Cole name was well known in the American whaling industry for nearly a century. Luther Cole was born in 1822. In 1839 he began his apprenticeship as a blacksmith to William Carsley in New Bedford. When Carsley sold his business to the Macy’s, Cole stayed on until he eventually set up his own shop in Fairhaven, Mass. in the early 1860’s. Luther’s son Edward (born 1859) began working with his father in the 1890’s. Luther died in 1903. Edward carried on, continuing the whalecraft business until the final days of whaling in 1924. (Thomas Lytle, “Harpoons And Other Whalecraft,” 1984, The Old Dartmouth Historical Society, New Bedford, Massachusetts.) |
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TOGGLE HEAD
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MAKER
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4.41 IDENTIFIED SCRIMSHAW
SWIFT. Lovely mid-19th century scrimshaw
swift (yarn winder) with the rare aspect of having an
engraved presentation which identifies the recipient and
thus the whaleship captain maker! This large classic
swift is beautifully made of sperm whale panbone and whale
tooth. There are 48 individual stays double riveted on
the top and bottom cage collars which are turned of whale
tooth ivory and bound with silver wire. The outside
stays are attached in two places with silver rivets and tied
in 3’s, top and bottom, with yarn. The ivory
cage collars revolve around the central whalebone shaft
which is capped by a large ivory finial cup with decorative
polychromed scribes. Inlaid into its top is an early
U.S. dime depicting a fasces, arrows and olive
branches. There is an adjustable clamp on the vertical
whalebone shaft which elevates the cage to various
diameters. The spectacular “barrel clamp”
for mounting is a work of art with numerous decorative
turnings and scribes, exquisitely engraved with the
recipient’s name, “ELIZA A. SHERMAN.”
She was the wife of Captain Daniel Sherman of the whaleship
YOUNG PHOENIX. The clamp has a threaded
thumbscrew for mounting the swift on a table edge. It
is decoratively turned with polychromed scribes and is
inlaid with a silver Liberty dime dated “1854.”
This scrimshaw swift is in absolutely
outstanding original
condition! It measures 20 ½ inches tall and the
cage expands to a working diameter of 21 inches. It is
rare to find any swift with a provenance or a date.
Captain Daniel Sherman, husband of Eliza A. Sherman, was master of the whaleship YOUNG PHOENIX homeported in New Bedford, Massachusetts. On November 12, 1867 the ship embarked on a voyage to the Indian Ocean whaling grounds. The lengthy voyage lasted 3 ½ years, but it was extremely profitable. The ship sent home 758 barrels of sperm oil, 705 barrels of whale oil and 4500 pounds of baleen (whalebone). Upon its return, April 22, 1871, it discharged an additional 860 barrels of sperm oil, 73 barrels of whale oil and another 672 pounds of baleen. The logbook of the ship YOUNG PHOENIX, November 6, 1867 – April 19, 1871 kept by Lucien A. Brott relates to a whaling voyage in the Indian Ocean. It is held in the collection of the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The venerable whaleship YOUNG PHOENIX was a 3-mased ship of 377 tons built by Barstow & Holmes in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts in 1822. At the time of its sailing under Captain Sherman she was owned by William Phillips & Son of New Bedford. The ship had an usually long and productive career, but ultimately was lost in the ice off of Point Barrow, Alaska in the 1870’s. Contemporary accounts of her demise proliferated rumors that she continued to sail years afterward as a “ghost ship” borne on an ice floe! |
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4.40 SCRIMSHAW PIE
CRIMPER. Particularly fine mid-19th
century whaleman-made jagging wheel constructed entirely
from the tooth of a large sperm whale. This
exceptional example has a solid ivory handle which
terminates in a 3-tined fork. The two section whale
tooth handle is joined together in the middle with a baleen
separator connected by two silver pins. The “working
end” consists of an eagle’s head with baleen
eyes supporting a crenelated ivory wheel held on a silver
axle running through the tip of its beak. Two areas
along the handle are carved with raised decorative
architectural designs. This rare example of
utilitarian scrimshaw measures 7 inches long. It is in
an absolutely outstanding state of original preservation
with a nice age patina. The crimping wheel rotates
freely. An old paper label is affixed to the side of the
handle which we have chosen not to remove. A truly wonderful
specimen of working scrimshaw – one of the best we
have ever offered. Ex. Collection of a Fairhaven, Massachusetts whaling family. |
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4.38 USIK. Rare, authentic
killing tool fabricated and used by the Alaskan Eskimos to
kill seals. This exceptionally large, decorated
example is made of a bull Walrus penis bone having each end
embellished with carved Walrus tusk images of arctic
animals. The large end is decorated with the high
relief carving of a Polar Bear complete with teeth and
pointed ears. The opposite end, on the handle, bears a
charming Walrus head with long pointed tusks. The
efficacy of this club can well be imagined. It has the
heft of dense bone, fits the hand perfectly and has a
bulbous protrusion on the “working end” at the
point of impact. At ½ inch short of being 2 feet
long, this is one of the largest and certainly nicest
examples of its type we have ever encountered. |
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POLAR BEAR
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WALRUS
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4.37 WHALE OIL CASK STICK.
Extremely rare, scrimshaw whale
oil cask measuring stick used to determine the volume of oil
contained in a barrel. This scarce example is exactly
3 feet long, but it is definitely not a yardstick. It
is made of mahogany with both ends tipped and pinned with
whale ivory. Both sides are inlaid with baleen and
ivory markers. The bottom half of one side indicates
16ths. While the upper half on that side shows
4ths. The reverse shows 8ths on one half, and the
other half shows quarters (4ths) again. The middle of
this gauge stick has a silver sleeve joining the two halves.
It is countersunk and pinned in place. There is a very
fine scribe line exactly in the middle to denote "one
half." Near the middle there is an overlapping
repair which is sturdy and not particularly
noticeable. Attached to the stick is an old yellowed
string tag which reads in part, “Whale (Ivory) wood
Whale Oil Cask Measure. Note Ivory Baleen Insert
Measures.” An exceptional example of "working
scrimshaw." There are easily a thousand
scrimshaw walking sticks for every one of these that comes
along! 695 |
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4.36 SCRIMSHAW PIE
CRIMPER. Especially nice mid-19th
century whaleman-made jagging wheel constructed entirely
from the tooth of a large sperm whale. This stunning
example has a solid ivory handle with a downward crook on
one end and two decorative scribes (not a joint) on the
other. The delicately crenulated wheel has six carved
spokes pinned in the middle with a silver “axle.”
The end of the handle is adorned with an anatomically
perfect fist clenching a pivoting ring. Adding to the
decorative nature of this working piece of scrimshaw are 4
rectangular inlays of mother-of-pearl on 3 sides. This
crimper measures 6 ½ inches overall with the handle
being 5 1 /2 inches long from end to end. Diameter of
the wheel is 1 3/8ths inches. Absolutely
perfect original condition with a
pleasing mellow age patina. A truly wonderful specimen
of this form of scrimshaw. Provenance: CRN Auction, Cambridge,
Massachusetts. Ex. Collection of a Fairhaven,
Massachusetts whaling family. |
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4.34 SCRIMSHAW. Exceptional mid-19th century sailor scrimshawed portrait of a lovely lady standing in a hoop skirt holding a delicately embroidered hanky in her right hand. The extremely fine engraving on this tooth bears close examination under magnification. It reveals the ultra fine details of her hair, a necklace, a broach, narrow patterned bodice, half length sleeves embellished with gossamer lace, her flowing skirt, just a hint of her lacey slip and of course her tiny, tiny feet! What’s more this work of art is done on a very hefty, extremely wide bull whale’s tooth with a lovely mellow age patina. As was typical of these early examples the tooth was “squared off” at the base so that it stands upright for display. 5 ¾ inches tall by 3 3/8 inches wide. Excellent original condition, circa 1855. 2295 |
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4.32 SCRIMSHAW TOOL. Authentic 19th century tool fashioned from the dense panbone of a sperm whale’s jaw. It consists of long flat panel with a distinctive curve to fit the hand. The “working end” is finely serrated with several grooves while the opposite end terminates in a rounded point. Such a device could have been used as a scraper or a seem rubber. 6 inches long by 1 inch wide. It shows little signs of use with both sides exhibiting a mellow polish. 79 |
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