Scrimshaw Ivory Whale Stamp
Scrimshaw Ivory Whale Stamp
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- Description
- Carved from the teeth of captured sperm whales, whale stamps were used to record the type of whale and number of barrels of oil they yielded.
- The stamps were inked onto the page of whaleship logbooks or sailors’ journals, with an empty space in the whale’s body for writing in the number of barrels. This example in the form of a sperm whale is decorated with steel pin heads and a turned handle.
- Object Name
- Scrimshaw
- scrimshaw whale stamp
- Object Type
- scrimshaws
- date made
- 1800s
- Physical Description
- sperm whale tooth (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 1 1/8 in x 1 3/4 in x 3/4 in; 2.8575 cm x 4.445 cm x 1.905 cm
- ID Number
- 1978.0052.06
- accession number
- 1978.0052
- catalog number
- 1978.52.6
- Credit Line
- Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Wilbur J. Gould
- Civil War and Reconstruction
- The Development of the Industrial United States
- Expansion and Reform
- See more items in
- Work and Industry: Maritime
- Work
- Cultures & Communities
- Industry & Manufacturing
- Art
- Natural Resources
- On the Water exhibit
- Transportation
- Exhibition
- On the Water
- Exhibition Location
- National Museum of American History
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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