Whalebone sectionalised to demonstrate texture and other characteristics, TILBROOK 82
Date19th century
Object number00006670
NameWhalebone
MediumWhalebone
DimensionsOverall: 55 x 390 x 50 mm, 1.2 kg
ClassificationsAnimals and animal products
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionThis piece of whalebone has been sectionalised to demonstrate its texture and other characteristics. It has most likely come from the area of Victor Harbor in South Australia where whaling was a prominent industry in the early to mid C19.HistoryWhale products were enormously popular in the C19. Without the ethical and environmental impacts of today, whaling was a lucrative, resourceful and significant worldwide business. Uses for whale products included the oil, teeth, baleen (whale-bone) and even the flesh, although not suitable to eat, could be processed into a stock feed filler.
The bone itself was very versatile as its properties made it quite flexible yet very strong. Typical uses for the bone were for corsets, the inserts known as "busks", also umbrellas, springs, whips and even chimney sweep brushes.SignificanceIn a new and struggling colony whaling was a profitable export. The killing and processing of a whale, either a sperm whale or a baleen right whale, took an enormous amount of physical effort by whalers and all parts of the whale that could be used were.
19th century
19th century
19th century
19th century
19th century
19th century
19th century
19th century
19th century
19th century
19th century