New England Whaling Scene

New England’s whaling story is written not just in ship logs and museum labels but in the art that whalemen, coastal painters, and printmakers produced from the late 18th through the 19th century. For collectors and appraisers, “New England Whaling Scenes” span oil paintings, watercolors, stone lithographs, sailors’ woolworks, and scrimshaw on sperm whale teeth, panbone, and baleen busks. Knowing what you’re looking at—and why it matters—directly affects authenticity judgments, value, and conservation priorities.

This guide distills the fundamentals: what defines a whaling scene, key makers and motifs, how to assess condition and originality, legal considerations, and current market dynamics.

What Makes a Whaling Scene “New England”

Whaling imagery linked to New England typically centers on ports such as Nantucket, New Bedford, and New London, and the open oceans those ports fed—Atlantic to Pacific to Arctic. The peak period spans roughly 1820–1870, with notable earlier and later pieces.

Common subjects:

• The chase: whaleboats lowered from a whaleship, oars knifing water, harpoon about to be “pitched.”
• Fast-fish: a boat towing a struck whale, or a “Nantucket sleigh ride,” rendered with churning seas.
• Cutting-in: the carcass alongside, men peeling blubber in ribbons.
• Trying-out: the tryworks glowing, smoke rolling, indicating onboard rendering of oil.
• Arctic ice: ships beset or threading floes, often bowhead scenes later in the century.
• Home ports: recognizable skyline or shoreline (e.g., Gay Head cliffs on Martha’s Vineyard in some lithographs), bustling New Bedford wharves.

Iconography that helps with identification:

• Species cues: Sperm whales have a blunt, squared head and a forward-angled single blow; right whales display arched mouths and a distinctive V-shaped double blow.
• Boat and rigging detail: Five to six-oared whaleboats, double-ended, with tubs of line, toggling harpoons, and lances visible in finer renderings.
• Flags and signals: American ensigns, house flags, and waif flags marking a secured carcass.
• Period dress and gear: Tarpaulins, “sou’wester” hats, wooden blocks, iron tryworks—details that help date a scene.

Makers, Schools, and Media to Know

Oil paintings and watercolors

• William Bradford (1823–1892): New Bedford-born luminist. Arctic vistas with ice and whaling vessels show meticulous atmospheric handling; his whaling subjects are prized for scale and light.
• Benjamin Russell (1804–1885): New Bedford artist and former whaleman; known for accurate ship detail. Co-creator (with Caleb Purrington) of the “Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage ‘Round the World,” and painter of ship portraits and whaling scenes.
• Charles Sidney Raleigh (1830–1925): A whaleman-turned-painter whose oils and watercolors of ships at sea and active whaling often carry direct, firsthand realism.
• Charles Henry Gifford (1839–1904): Luminist coastal painter from New Bedford; while many works are harbor views, whaling subjects appear and are collected for regional connection.

Prints

• Currier & Ives and earlier Nathaniel Currier: Folio lithographs such as whaling off Gay Head, the chase, and trying-out scenes. Hand-colored examples with strong impressions and good margins attract solid interest.

Maritime folk art

• Sailor’s woolworks (woolies): Mostly Royal Navy subjects, but American examples exist; a whaleship with lowered boats is scarcer and more valuable.
• Reverse paintings on glass: 19th-century ship portraits occasionally with whaling action, prized when original frames and paint layers survive.

Scrimshaw

• Edward Burdett (c. 1805–1833): Among the earliest and most coveted scrimshanders; superbly engraved sperm whale teeth, often signed and dated, can achieve six-figure results.
• Frederick Myrick (1808–1862): The “Susan’s Teeth,” engraved aboard the whaleship Susan, are iconic; inscriptions, ship portraits, and geometric borders typify his hand.
• Nantucket and New Bedford schools: Teeth, panbone plaques, busks, ditty boxes with ship portraits, whaling action, eagles, hearts, pinwheels, and shell motifs. Original patina and period ink remain paramount for value.

Terminology note: “Whalebone” in period usage typically means baleen, not actual bone. Baleen busks and corset stays are keratin, distinct from sperm whale tooth dentin.

Reading, Dating, and Authenticating Whaling Imagery

Start with the story the scene tells:

• Sequence: Does it show chase, strike, cutting-in, or trying-out? Well-observed sequences suggest firsthand knowledge and often point to whalemen-artists or careful maritime painters.
• Geography: Landmarks like Gay Head or ice floes can narrow origins and date ranges.
• Ship specifics: A named hull or easily identifiable house flag can tie to a known vessel and voyage—one of the strongest value drivers.

Medium-specific pointers:

Paintings (oil, watercolor, gouache)

• Ground and support: 19th-century American oils often on canvas with animal-glue size and off-white grounds; many later refitted with keyable stretchers post-1860. Look for period stretcher marks, square nails on frames, and oxidation on tacks.
• Pigments and varnish: Aged natural resin varnish typically fluoresces greenish under UV. Modern retouch fluoresces dark or differently. Craquelure should be consistent and not “pressed” flat.
• Signatures: More dependable when accompanied by period labels, inscriptions, or provenance. Beware of later-added signatures to boost value.

Prints (Currier & Ives)

• Paper: Wove paper, often without obvious chain lines; deckled edges if untrimmed. Watermarks possible but not mandatory.
• Imprint: Period stones carry the correct publisher imprint and address; color is hand-applied watercolor and gum-based pigments, with brush strokes visible under magnification.
• Re-strikes and reproductions: Photomechanical screens, perfectly even dots, or overly bright aniline colors flag later reproductions. Trimmed margins and pressure-sensitive tape stains reduce value.

Scrimshaw (teeth, panbone, baleen)

• Material: Sperm whale tooth lacks Schreger lines (seen in elephant ivory). Walrus ivory shows a mottled secondary dentin core—different from tooth dentin. Baleen is lightweight keratin, often layered and flexible in thin sections.
• Engraving: True hand-engraving reveals uneven line depth, bur “push,” and cross-hatching variations. Later laser-etched pieces show uniformly burned lines and lack depth.
• Inks: Period lampblack, soot, or tobacco juice sits in incisions with oxidized, matte character. Jet-black modern inks or permanent markers are red flags.
• Patina: Natural, warm oxidation with micro-crazing is desirable. Chalky whiteness suggests bleaching; harsh cleaning lowers value.
• Subject fidelity: Early 19th-century teeth often show Federal eagles, brigs, compass roses; mid-century introduce more dynamic whaling action and romantic female figures.

Always document measurements, weight, and any inscriptions verbatim. Photographs under raking light and 10x magnification help confirm tool marks and surface history. Avoid invasive tests (e.g., hot needle) that damage surfaces.

Condition, Conservation, and Legal Realities

Condition issues by medium:

Paintings

• Canvas: Tears, relining, and overcleaning are common. Sensitively performed conservation can be acceptable; heavy overpaint, “skinned” surfaces, or wax relines with excessive flattening are value detractors.
• Frames: Period ripple or ogee frames add value; a correct but later 19th-century frame is fine; modern frames are neutral to slightly negative.

Prints

• Paper: Foxing, toning, water stains, and trimmed margins diminish value. Professional washing and deacidification can improve appearance, but preserve imprints, titles, and margins.
• Color: Later “jazzed-up” coloring reduces desirability; original, delicate hand color is preferred.

Scrimshaw

• Cracks: Age cracks and shrinkage fissures are common; stable ones are acceptable. Filled losses and re-inked surfaces should be disclosed.
• Mounts: Old custom stands or whale ivory bases can compound legal complexities; evaluate each component’s material and date.

Legal considerations (not legal advice):

• In the United States, the Marine Mammal Protection Act (1972) restricts sale of marine mammal parts created after 1972. Pre-Act scrimshaw and whale-derived antiques may be sold under certain conditions; documentation of pre-1972 origin is essential.
• Endangered Species Act and CITES complicate interstate and especially international trade; permits may be required for cross-border movement.
• Several states have additional prohibitions on ivory sales—even antique items. Always check current state and federal regulations before consigning or shipping.
• Alaska Native-made marine mammal items have specific allowances with conditions; these do not broadly authorize resale of non-Native, post-1972 items.

When in doubt, keep pieces in place until you’ve clarified applicable laws. Maintain copies of bills of sale, prior appraisals, and photographs establishing age and provenance.

Value Drivers and Current Market Notes

Across categories, values hinge on authenticity, subject quality, maker attribution, condition, and provenance.

Indicative ranges (highly generalized; market-dependent):

• Scrimshaw, named hands (Edward Burdett, Frederick Myrick): often six figures for prime, documented teeth.
• Scrimshaw, 19th-century unsigned with strong ship/whaling scenes: roughly four to mid-five figures, depending on scale, quality, and patina.
• Baleen busks: low- to mid-four figures; exceptional carved or engraved examples higher.
• Panbone plaques and ditty boxes: low- to mid-five figures for top examples with whaling action and inscriptions.
• Oil paintings of active whaling by recognized New England artists: mid-five to low-six figures; large, well-documented arctic or action scenes by Bradford and peers can exceed this.
• Whalemen watercolors and ship portraits: low- to mid-five figures; named ship and voyage records increase value.
• Currier & Ives whaling lithographs: small folios in the low hundreds to a few thousand; large folios and brilliant impressions with wide margins can bring several thousand to low five figures.

Market trends:

• Fresh-to-market, well-documented scrimshaw remains competitive; top-tier examples command strong results.
• High-quality oils with vivid whaling action and named ships outperform generic seascapes.
• Logbooks with illustrated whaling scenes have drawn increasing institutional and collector interest.
• Over-restored, aggressively cleaned, or legally ambiguous pieces underperform.

Provenance amplifiers:

• Direct descent from a New Bedford or Nantucket family.
• Ship name matched to documented voyages.
• Contemporary inscriptions, maker signatures, and period labels.

Practical Checklist: Assessing a New England Whaling Scene

• Identify the medium first (oil, watercolor, lithograph, scrimshaw on tooth/panbone, baleen, textile).
• Read the subject: chase, strike, cutting-in, or trying-out; look for port landmarks or ice.
• Note species details (sperm vs right/bowhead) to corroborate accuracy and date range.
• Record all inscriptions verbatim: ship name, dates, ports, maker/artist signatures.
• Inspect under magnification and raking light for tool marks, brushwork, and surface history.
• Check for signs of modern reproduction: photomechanical dots (prints), laser-etched lines (scrimshaw), synthetic varnish overlays (paintings).
• Evaluate condition honestly: craquelure, foxing, bleaching, fills, overpaint, margin trims.
• Verify frame and mount appropriateness; do not separate items from period frames or stands before evaluation.
• Gather provenance: family stories, bills of sale, prior appraisals, exhibition or publication references.
• Confirm legal status before sale or shipment; retain documentation of pre-1972 origin for whale-derived materials.
• Control environment: stable RH (~45–55%) and temperature for organics; avoid direct sunlight and rapid swings.
• When significant value is possible, obtain a written appraisal from a specialist in maritime art/scrimshaw.

Short FAQ

Q: How can I quickly tell if a whaling print is an original Currier & Ives? A: Look for the correct period imprint, hand-applied watercolor (brush strokes visible), and the absence of modern halftone dots. Paper should show age and, ideally, untrimmed margins. Suspect bright, uniform inks and screened images.

Q: My scrimshaw tooth looks very white—does that hurt value? A: Likely. Bleaching or aggressive cleaning removes desirable patina and can lower value. Genuine age shows warm oxidation and ink settled within engraved lines. Avoid further cleaning and seek a specialist opinion.

Q: Can I ship a scrimshaw piece overseas if it’s antique? A: Not without careful research. Even antiques may require CITES or other permits for international movement, and some destinations prohibit import. Confirm regulations for both exporting and importing countries before any shipment.

Q: Are later restorations acceptable on whaling paintings? A: Sensitive, well-documented conservation is acceptable and often necessary. Overcleaning, heavy overpaint, and structural changes like aggressive wax relining detract. Always disclose conservation in appraisals and sales.

Q: What evidence most increases value? A: A named ship tied to documented voyages, a signed or attributable hand (e.g., Burdett, Myrick, Bradford), and continuous family or institutional provenance. Strong, undisturbed condition amplifies all of the above.

Collecting the New England whaling scene means engaging with art, history, and material science in equal measure. With careful observation, respect for the law, and sound conservation, these artifacts can be responsibly appreciated and accurately appraised.