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Front of 00033875 left and 00033876 right
Bottle of Nyoil manufactured by William F. Nye
Front of 00033875 left and 00033876 right

Bottle of Nyoil manufactured by William F. Nye

Maker (Established 1844)
DateLate 19th century
Object number00033876
NameWhale oil
MediumWhale Oil. Glass bottle, paper label, cork stopper.
DimensionsOverall: 0.978 kg
Overall: 165 x 50 x 30 mm
ClassificationsAnimals and animal products
Credit LineANMM Collection Purchased with USA Bicentennial Gift funds
DescriptionThe finest whale oil came from sperm whales. Just one could yield about 13 500 litres or 192 000 bottles of Mr Nye's oil. This oil was used for lubricating sewing machines and fine instruments like clocks.HistoryWhaling played an essential part in 19th century life. Industry and households depended on whale products for which there was no substitute. Whale oil was used for lighting and lubrication until 1860 when kerosene and petroleum started to gain popularity. The pure clean oil from sperm whales was a superior source of lighting and the finest candles were made from the whale's wax-like spermaceti. Light and flexible, baleen - the bristle-fringed plates found in the jaws of baleen whales - had many uses in objects which today would be made out of plastic. American whaling centred on the north-east coastal town of New Bedford, a booming industry in the 19th century with hundreds of ships regularly heading out to the Pacific Ocean. The label depicts the Nye trademark of a sperm whaling scene after maritime artist W. J. Huggins from 1829.SignificanceThis bottle of Nye whale oil provides an example of the myriad of ways in which whale oil was used in the 19th century.