May 5, 2022Why was sperm whale so prized by 19th century whalers? During New England’s whaling industry, the most highly prized oil was spermaceti, sometimes referred to as “head oil,” as it was obtained...
Apr 21, 2022Scrimshaw Mystery: Double-sided BookendsIn the world of scrimshaw, it is not unusual to find matched sets, with two sperm-whale teeth having the same design. These were usually...
Mar 24, 2022Sister SailorsWhile in the 17th and 18th centuries, women traveled on fishing and whaling boats only occasionally, in the 19th century, they began...