Sailor’s Scrimshaw Baleen and Walrus Ivory Paper Knife
An Unusual Sailor’s Scrimshaw Baleen and Walrus Ivory Paper Knife the Handle in the Form of a Whaler’s Double-Flue Harpoon with Attached Rope
Mid 19th Century
Size: 32cm long - 12½ ins long
Mid 19th Century
Size: 32cm long - 12½ ins long
An Unusual Sailor’s Scrimshaw Baleen and Walrus Ivory Paper Knife the Handle in the Form of a Whaler’s Double-Flue Harpoon with Attached Rope
Mid 19th Century
Size: 32cm long - 12½ ins long
Mid 19th Century
Size: 32cm long - 12½ ins long
The whale-men’s pride of occupation and celebration of their seafaring prowess is reflected in the many items of scrimshaw they made onboard ship. This accurate image of a harpoon is drawn from the whale-men’s own experience rather than being coped from published illustrations. Often away at sea for two to three years, scrimshaw was a means of allaying boredom, frustration and aggression within the confines of a small ship. Using the unwanted by products of the catch, the captain was tolerant of the long hours spent ‘scrimshanting’.
Sailor’s Scrimshaw Baleen and Walrus Ivory Paper Knife
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