- Joined
- Mar 20, 1999
- Messages
- 1,163
I recently picked up this ceremonial knife at auction. (Type of ceremony was and is unknown.) The blade is whale bone and the handle is a whale's tooth. (Species of whale was and is unkown.) Although the auction was in Arizona, I am going to go out on a limb and guess that this was not made by any native of Arizona from any Arizona whales.
<center><img src=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=33630&a=208307&p=16623605&Sequence=0></center>
There is a small chip in the tip of the blade and some cracks starting in the tooth. (Should I rub it with Colgate?)
<img src=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=33630&a=208307&p=16623606&Sequence=0><img src=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=33630&a=208307&p=16623607&Sequence=0>
<img src=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=33630&a=208307&p=16623611&Sequence=0>
The handle and blade are joined with an aluminum coupler. There is a small stamp "HFD&CO" next to that there is a set of 3 small stamps that look like small coats of arms or shields. There is some sort of glue under the coupler that has dried up and is crumbling out.
<center><img src=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=33630&a=208307&p=16623609&Sequence=0></center>
The knife is over 15 inches in length. Tip of tooth to base of aluminum coupler is 4.5 inches. Blade thickness is about 1/4" at base (hidden by coupler) and tapers to approximately 1/32" at tip. Blade width is 1 3/16"
Has anyone (perhaps in the upper left corner of the US and/or Canada) seen anything like this before? Anyone have any idea what the value of something like this is? Either in completed form or in materials?
Thank you!
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"Resistance to sudden violence, for the preservation not only of my person, my limbs, and life, but of my property, is an indisputable right of nature which I have never surrendered to the public by the compact of society, and which perhaps, I could not surrender if I would."
--- John Adams, Boston Gazette, Sept. 5, 1763
[This message has been edited by the4th (edited 02-19-2000).]
<center><img src=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=33630&a=208307&p=16623605&Sequence=0></center>
There is a small chip in the tip of the blade and some cracks starting in the tooth. (Should I rub it with Colgate?)
<img src=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=33630&a=208307&p=16623606&Sequence=0><img src=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=33630&a=208307&p=16623607&Sequence=0>
<img src=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=33630&a=208307&p=16623611&Sequence=0>
The handle and blade are joined with an aluminum coupler. There is a small stamp "HFD&CO" next to that there is a set of 3 small stamps that look like small coats of arms or shields. There is some sort of glue under the coupler that has dried up and is crumbling out.
<center><img src=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=33630&a=208307&p=16623609&Sequence=0></center>
The knife is over 15 inches in length. Tip of tooth to base of aluminum coupler is 4.5 inches. Blade thickness is about 1/4" at base (hidden by coupler) and tapers to approximately 1/32" at tip. Blade width is 1 3/16"
Has anyone (perhaps in the upper left corner of the US and/or Canada) seen anything like this before? Anyone have any idea what the value of something like this is? Either in completed form or in materials?
Thank you!
------------------
"Resistance to sudden violence, for the preservation not only of my person, my limbs, and life, but of my property, is an indisputable right of nature which I have never surrendered to the public by the compact of society, and which perhaps, I could not surrender if I would."
--- John Adams, Boston Gazette, Sept. 5, 1763
[This message has been edited by the4th (edited 02-19-2000).]
