Brief Description |
This cane or walking stick is made of whale bone. Two-thirds of the shaft is carved to represent a twist while the lower third is plain. The knob, or handle, is made from whale bone or tooth ivory and is separated from the shaft by two rings of baleen. The knob is carved to represent a plaited knot and handle carved with a diamond line pattern.
While whales were hunted mainly for their oil, which was manufactured into lamp fuel, cooking oil, margarine, candles, soaps, cosmetics, perfumes and machinery and car lubricant, baleen, or "whalebone" was also used for corsets, umbrellas, canes, brushes and bone meal fertiliser. Tendons were used to string tennis racquets. Whale meat was eaten and is still considered a delicacy in Japan and Norway.
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