Dangers of the Whale Fishery

There was a romance of whaling and the sea that drew men out to man a ship on whaling voyages. That romance still exists today as men and women board Navy vessels, sail around the world, or take cruise ships for vacation. However, whalemen of the 19th century often had a different fate and lifestyle onboard ship. Whaling missions lasted from three to five years at a time and were often on a ship that was filthy, where the work was hard and dangerous. One might compare it to today's hit series "The Deadliest Catch" on the Discover Channel. No one knew if when they left they would make it back home alive. But the adventures were there and many which drew many men onboard whaling vessels. One of the greatest and first scrimshanders to sign his work, Edward Burdett, was drawn to whaling, but perished when a whale dragged him into the ocean after getting caught up in a harpoon line.

Adventures at Sea Abounded

It was said by Fraces Robotti that there were three types of whalers: "...those who hoped to own their own whaleship someday, those who were seeking adventure, and those who were running from something on shore." Money wasn't necessarily key to joining a fleet, as most whalemen could have made more money joining the merchant fleet. Money could be a draw for whalemen but it was not even guaranteed that they would make a dime. Some of the lowliest crewmembers might even OWE the captain money if the whale harvest was poor. Those that participated in more than one whaling voyage were often those who hoped to own their own ship someday. Perhaps the entry level whalemen were looking just for adventure, to find themselves, or to go to an unknown place which might be better than where they came from. There are even stories of certain places like the Hawaiian Islands, Tahiti, and Marquesas drawing whalemen because the number of women outnumbered men.

The Romance of Whaling Continues Today Through Antique Scrimshaw

The romance of whaling and the sea continued into the 20th century as people have always and still are fascinated with the sea. Thankfully, whaling has been stopped in the United States (except for certain tribal harvests), but the romance of whaling and the sea can be linked when one holds a piece of genuine antique scrimshaw. One might imagine the heartaches and struggles whalemen made while out at sea and what they were thinking when any piece of whale tooth was scrimmed. Each tooth tells a story of the person whose hand scrimmed the piece, some of a dangerous voyage others of thoughts of missing loved ones back home. Some say the antique scrimshaw whale tooth collecting done by former President John F. Kennedy helped increase the popularity of antique scrimshaw collecting in the United States. Kennedy who has a long history of life at sea and living on the water fell in love with the same romance that collectors experience today when they hold an authentic piece of antique scrimshaw.