jagging wheel

DateCirca 1850

Mediumwhale ivory, metal

Dimensions1 3/4 × 1 3/4 × 6 7/8 in. (4.4 × 4.4 × 17.5 cm)

Object number1948.30.75

Institutional Credit LineCourtesy of the New Bedford Whaling Museum

DescriptionPierced-work filigree pommel (two hearts, two diamonds, three rounded crosses, and a transverse slot), terminating in a concave crescent surmounting scalloped edges; pierced-work shaft hollowed and thus doubled (three hearts, four diamonds, and two rounded crosses, flanked by two elongated slots, all perfectly alligned on both sides); architectonic moldings at each end of shaft; plain saddle; single fluted whale ivory wheel; metal pin axle.

Four crimpers in the NBWM collection are by the same hand, thus (on the basis of the family provenance in the Kendall Collection) attributed to Captain John Marble: 1948.30.75 and 1948.30.85 (both Weston Howland Coll.), 2001.100.1837 (Kendall Coll. #S-1477), and 1923.7.66 (Frank Wood Coll.), which are very much alike in most particulars. Compare 2001.100.1005 (Kendall Coll. #S-883), which appears to be a closely-related variant: it has similar scalloping and architectonic moldings at each end of the shaft, but the surmount is a trifid double wing, the pommel is inserted, the pierced work is curves (including violin f-curves), and the saddle scalloped.

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