Whalebone is a term used for two different materials obtained from whales: baleen, the flexible horny plates through which certain whales filter their food, and the true bone of the whale's skeleton. In antiques both appear, though historically the word most often referred to baleen.
Baleen was strong, light and pliable when heated, and from the seventeenth to the early twentieth century it was used for corset stays, busks, crinoline hoops, umbrella and parasol ribs, riding whips and brush bristles, before spring steel and later plastics replaced it. Whale bone and teeth were carved and engraved by sailors on long whaling voyages to produce scrimshaw, including decorated teeth, pastry crimpers, walking sticks and boxes. Large whale jawbones were sometimes set up as arches in gardens and coastal towns. Collectors value scrimshaw with genuine age and fine, well-composed engraving, but many modern imitations exist in resin and other materials. Trade in whale products is now subject to legal controls, and anyone buying, selling or exporting antique whalebone and whale teeth should check the current regulations and keep good provenance records.
