darting lance box

WHALING GEAR - DART GUNS
Pierce, Ebenezer (Capt.)
Circa 1867
metal; wood; textile
Overall: 5 x 23 1/2 x 6 3/8 in.

Wooden box; tongue in groove cover; broken rope handle attached to left end. Cover slides open towards left, by means of groove on right end of cover. On cover, in black paint is stenciled "C.W.M." (CHARLES W. MORGAN?) and carved crudely at right in wood is "W B". Written on tag found in box: "First style Darting Lance made by/ Capt. Eben Pierce on board Bark/ James Allen at sea as an/ experiment. made about/ years 1866 to 1868 of which/ vessel he was Master from 1865/ to 1870".

1955.622.7