Tabletop swift

Date1828-59

Mediumwhale ivory, whale skeletal bone, silk, non-ferrous metal, abalone

Dimensions[H]17 7/8" __[W] __[D]3", cage closed __[Dia] __[L]clamp 4 7/8"

Object number1971.9.2

Institutional Credit LineCourtesy of the New Bedford Whaling Museum

DescriptionThis swift contains a double cage made from skeletal whalebone. The ends of the struts and ribs are tied together with blue and green ribbons. The sprockets are made from whale ivory and contain 12 slots. The shaft is made from skeletal whalebone. The expansion collar is made from whale ivory and has a linear inlay of black, green, and red pigments. The clamp is made from whale ivory in the shape of a closed fist with diamond abalone inlay and has two turned whale ivory sleeves. Emanating from the bottom of the clamp is a long turned whale ivory thumbscrew with linear engraving of red, green, and black pigment. The cup shaped finial is made out of whale ivory and has a turned whale ivory collar below.ProvenanceFrom donor's great uncles William and Peleg Sanford, whaling masters from South Dartmouth who in later years lived in the Pittsfield, Maine area. (It is not clear whether either of them made the scrimshaw, and if so, which one.)

Peleg Sanford, born 1810 at Wesport; went whaling in 1828; married Sarah A. Sherman of Tiverton, R.I., in 1831; whaling until 1850; retired to a farm in Westport. William Sanford, born circa 1820 at Dartmouth, Mass.; went whaling 1842; married Helen H. Hervey [Harvey] of Dartmouth in 1845; captain, ship Draper of N.B. 1855-59; whaling until 1859.

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