Sperm whale tooth?
As always I turn to the collective knowledge of my friends at GB.
This was in my late father-in-laws estate sitting in a box for the past ten years. He was a merchant marine in the 30's and 40's and collected brick a brac from all over the world.
I believe this to be a sperm whale tooth carved in Alaska.
Have any of you seen anything like this and have a guess at the value?
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
This was in my late father-in-laws estate sitting in a box for the past ten years. He was a merchant marine in the 30's and 40's and collected brick a brac from all over the world.
I believe this to be a sperm whale tooth carved in Alaska.
Have any of you seen anything like this and have a guess at the value?
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
0
-
dehydrated whale sperm? 0 -
NEVERMIND...lol [}:)] 0 -
soak it in tea to give it an ancient patina and take it to antiques roadshow 0 -
quote:Originally posted by HobbyGuy
If that is about 6 - 10" in length, I would say it is more likely a walrus tooth. [;)]
Jim
It's about four inches tall.0 -
I have a sperm whale tooth that's about 4 inches tall, but mine is scrimshawed and it's worth $200 to $300. Don't know if that helps you or not? 0 -
do sperm whales have teeth??......since when !! they feed on plancton, filtering it thru...[;)] 0 -
mond..
quote:DIET, HUNTING, AND TEETH
Sperm whales are carnivores that mostly eat giant squid that live on the ocean bottom at great depths. They also eat fish , octopus, and skate. In 1998, off the coast of Indonesia, 3 sperm whales were observed attacking a rare, filter feeding megamouth shark. An adult Sperm Whale can eat about a ton of food each day.
Sperm whale teeth are uniform. The teeth in the upper jaw never erupt. The teeth in the long, thin lower jaw are conical and huge, about 7 inches (18 cm) long. These teeth weigh about 2 pounds (900 g) each. The lower jaw is about 16 feet (5 m) long and has about 50-60 teeth in it. When the whale's mouth is closed, the teeth fit into sockets in the upper jaw.
SOCIAL GROUPS
Here is a link to a very interesting page ...shows some great pics...
http://www.angelfire.com/ca/antiquescrimshaw/
Also has a link on the bottom telling you in good detail how to test to see if the tooth is real or a good fake....
Another link showing a couple of teeth for sale...
http://store.paulmaddenantiques.com/anscspwhtoin.html0 -
This sperm whale thread seems to be kinda seedy. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by mond
do sperm whales have teeth??......since when !! they feed on plancton, filtering it thru...[;)]
No, those are baleen whales.
Sperm whale is the largest of the toothed whales.
Think "Moby Dick."0 -
quote:Originally posted by rcrxs old lady
quote:Originally posted by mond
do sperm whales have teeth??......since when !! they feed on plancton, filtering it thru...[;)]
No, those are baleen whales.
Sperm whale is the largest of the toothed whales.
Think "Moby Dick."
Baleen may also but I do know that Blue Whales (the worlds largest animal) is a plankton feeder and hast those hair like things that filter the plankton.0 -
quote:Originally posted by git_r_done
quote:Originally posted by rcrxs old lady
quote:Originally posted by mond
do sperm whales have teeth??......since when !! they feed on plancton, filtering it thru...[;)]
No, those are baleen whales.
Sperm whale is the largest of the toothed whales.
Think "Moby Dick."
Baleen may also but I do know that Blue Whales (the worlds largest animal) is a plankton feeder and hast those hair like things that filter the plankton.
Baleen is a subspecies of whales. Whales are either baleen like humpbacks and blues, or toothed, like orcas and sperm.
I am not aware whether one can be both.0 -
quote:Originally posted by BlackRoses
mond..
quote:DIET, HUNTING, AND TEETH
Sperm whales are carnivores that mostly eat giant squid that live on the ocean bottom at great depths. They also eat fish , octopus, and skate. In 1998, off the coast of Indonesia, 3 sperm whales were observed attacking a rare, filter feeding megamouth shark. An adult Sperm Whale can eat about a ton of food each day.
Sperm whale teeth are uniform. The teeth in the upper jaw never erupt. The teeth in the long, thin lower jaw are conical and huge, about 7 inches (18 cm) long. These teeth weigh about 2 pounds (900 g) each. The lower jaw is about 16 feet (5 m) long and has about 50-60 teeth in it. When the whale's mouth is closed, the teeth fit into sockets in the upper jaw.
SOCIAL GROUPS
Here is a link to a very interesting page ...shows some great pics...
http://www.angelfire.com/ca/antiquescrimshaw/
Also has a link on the bottom telling you in good detail how to test to see if the tooth is real or a good fake....
Another link showing a couple of teeth for sale...
http://store.paulmaddenantiques.com/anscspwhtoin.html
Excellent links BR, thank you very much!0 -
you guys really know your sperm....whales 0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
13 comments