Scrimshaw Sperm Whale Tooth, 19th or 20th Century
date: label: date made
content: 19th-20th century
notes: label: Description
content: One of the most important sea battles of the War of 1812 was the engagement between the USS <i>Constitution</i> and HMS <i>Guerriere</i> on 19 August 1812 off the New England coast. <i>Constitution</i> won the battle decisively, damaging <i>Guerriere</i> so badly that it was set on fire and sunk rather than towed home for a prize. <i>Constitution</i> had more and bigger guns, and its hull was thicker; when one of <i>Guerriere</i>'s cannon balls bounced off <i>Constitution</i>'s hull, the American frigate was nicknamed "Old Ironsides." Although the United States Navy was much smaller and less experienced, this battle proved it could hold its own against the world's largest and strongest sea power.
label: Description
content: The etching on the obverse of this sperm whale tooth depicts <i>Constitution</i> firing a broadside into <i>Guerriere</i>, knocking down its mizzenmast. An oval frame inscribed on the bottom "USS Constitution and Guerriere " encircles the scene. The reverse of the tooth has busts of the British commander Captain James Richard Dacres and American Captain Isaac Hull beneath crossed flags of their two nations. Between the two ship captains is the slogan "Free Trade and Sailors Rights," which was an American motto for the War of 1812. Specific decorative elements in common indicate that this tooth was carved by the same anonymous artist as the <i>Kearsarge</i> vs. <i>Alabama</i> tooth (Cat. 1978.0052.36).
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Maritime
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content: Cultures & Communities
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content: Scrimshaw
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content: Transportation
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content: Art
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: From the collection of Dr. and Mrs. Wilbur J. Gould
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1978.0052.18
label: accession number
content: 1978.0052
label: catalog number
content: 1978.52.18
objectType: label: Object Name
content: scrimshaw
label: Object Name
content: scrimshaw tooth, whale
label: Object Type
content: scrimshaws
label: Other Terms
content: scrimshaw; Maritime
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: whale tooth (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 4 7/8 in x 3 1/2 in x 1 1/2 in; 12.3825 cm x 8.89 cm x 3.81 cm