37. Whale Tooth and Live Oak Cane
1850 Crafted from a single piece of sperm whale tooth, the knob features a wider, bul- bous top, a waisted collar, and a longer, tapered plinth ending with a slender, raised integral collar. The proportions, shaped by the tooth's natural form and accented with subtle undercuts, are extraordinary and elevated to fine art by a smoothly paneled, octagonal surface. The paneled sections at the top are grouped with a large, flush-set baleen round shield that adds a subtle yet strong decorative element, emphasized by the con- trasting dark, nearly black color of the material. The knob features a very unusual yet attractive live oak shaft that extends through the octagonal, paneled design of the knob over most of its tapered profile, ending in a plain, round section. Fashioned by the fisherman himself and his unsophisticated tools, this cane is a wonderful sculptural object, and, as early American art, it has all the elements to support its dating around the middle of the 19th century. While the material combination is not uncommon due to its availability on whaling ships, the elegance and purity of the cane’s profile make it stunning. Indeed, cherished with apparent devotion, the knob aged to a sublime, faded surface, and the shaft to a corresponding, permeated surface that reveals the timber's characterizing grain to the cane's great advantage. H. 2 ¾” x 1 ¾”, O.L. 36”
$900-$1,200
Live oak, also known as evergreen oak, was widely used in early American ship- building. The remarkable resilience of live oak planking compared to its European counterpart partly made early American frigates so feared by enemy sailors. The live oak of USS Constitution deflected the shots of HMS Guerriere so effectively that one of her sailors was heard to shout, "Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron!" The ship was nicknamed Old Ironsides. Live oak lumber is rarely used for furniture because it warps and twists while dry- ing. It is used in shipbuilding and tool handles for its strength, energy absorption, and density. Dry Southern live oak lumber has a specific gravity of 0.88, the high- est of any North American hardwood. Notably, the live oak provides one of the most indelible images of the Old South. The huge branches of a live oak, festooned with Spanish moss and spreading hori- zontally across grassy lawns, are iconic.
78 - Continental Cane Collection Auction
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