Rare Mid -19th Century Whalebone Dagger with Whalebone Sheath with piques initials "JAR". Whaleman made dagger with shaped whalebone grips fastened with five brass rivets. The whalebone sheath has straight sides and curves to a point at the end following the shape of the blade. The perimeter of the sheath has several small nails spaced about ½ inch apart following the shape of the sheath all around on both sides. The steel dagger shaped blade has straight sharpened parallel top and bottom edges that round and come to a point at the end. (SC1281)
Dimensions of Knife: Length 11 1/4 , Width 1 1/2 inches.
Dimensions of Blade: Length 6 3/4, Width 2 inches.
Dimensions of Sheath: Length 7 1/4, Width 1 1/2 inches.
Note: The blade may be recycled from a whaleman’s boarding knife of the period that was damaged in use and recycled into a dagger. The shape of a boarding knife is very similar although much longer.
Reference: "Ingenious Contrivances. Curiously Carved, Scrimshaw In The New Bedford Whaling Museum", by Dr. Stuart Frank, Published by David R. Godine, 2014, Pages163-164. The whalebone knife pictured on page 163 also has a whalebone handle that has a steel blade very similar as the one pictured that was also recycled from a whaleman’s boarding knife used in cutting blubber.
