Whale stamp

whale stamp

SCRIMSHAW & ALLIED ARTS - WHALE STAMPS
ivory; wood; metal
Overall: 3 3/4 x 1 3/4 x 1 3/4 in.

Ivory whale stamp with turned lignum vitae handle. Handle has several turnings and flat top. Brass connects handle to stamp. Latter is heavy cross-section of whale tooth (1" thick). Whale in high relief on stamp. Whale stamps were used to mark in the ship's logbook the number of whales caught, one stamp for each whale. This stamp has a blank space in the head to record the number of barrels of oil a specific whale yielded.

1939.1899