$70,500
Engraved Whale's Tooth, early to mid 19th century, the large tooth depicting "South Sea Fishery," with a whaling bark and three long boats pursuing two surfacing whales, the reverse depicting "Port Owharre, Huahene" centered with a three masted sailing vessel flying a British flag, surrounded by a mountainous tropical landscape scattered with small buildings and palm trees, and small boats in the water, the bottom of the tooth depicts a sperm whale, portions of the tooth heightened with red and black sealing wax, lg. 8 1/4 in. Note: Huahine is the easternmost island of the Leeward Islands, part of French Polynesia located in the South Pacific. Capt. James Cook was the first European to visit the island in 1769, and he returned several times after. But it is probably most notable as the last stop of the HMS Bounty before its fateful mutiny in 1789.
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2005-11-06
