VINTAGE HAND CRAFTED DISPLAY OF FIVE SPECIES
OF WHALES
Presented is a hand
carved display of five whales mounted on a backboard with a small bone plaque naming each species. It was purchased somewhere
in New England, any time between 1971 and the early 90’s. Time was spent in all the usual places, but where and
when has been forgotten. The likelihood is that it comes from either Mystic or New Bedford. The whales have been
in a private collection ever since. The backboard is 30” L x 10” W x 7/8” T. The largest whale is a Blue whale on the lower
right and is 9 ¾ inches long. The smallest is a Right whale on the upper left, 6 ¼ inches long. They are carved
and finished on both sides and mounted to the backboard by a solid brass dowel. Carvings of four or more whales mounted on
a backboard, either horizontally or vertically, are less often seen than those of individual whales. It is signed by
a maker’s mark.
As whale parts became less plentiful and later
illegal to own, the American tradition was to carve whales in wood while those carved from whale ivory or panbone can
still be found from such places as the Azores where there is a plentiful supply of the product which is still legal
to own.
Right Whale
Finback Whale
Humpback Whale
Blue Whale THE
WHALES:
Right whale; adults 36 to 59 ft
Top right:
Finback whale; adults 59 to 72 ft
Middle:
Sperm whale; male 50 to 60 ft
Bottom left:
Humpback whale; adults to 52 ft
Bottom right: Blue whale;
females to 94 ft
Sperm Whale
DIMENSIONS:
Backboard 30” L x 10” W x 7/8” T WHALES:
Largest: Blue whale 9 ¾ inches long.
Smallest: Right whale, 6 ¼ inches long. Weight 4 pounds
CONDITION: All five whales are in excellent condition and show little evidence of wear. The same can be said
for the backboard which has the mark of the unknown artist as seen on the left. We asked a distinguished curator of a
New England museum if he recognized the mark and he didn’t. The hang wire was moved from the top to the bottom of the
back board because of aesthetics.
Left 3/4 view
