Photograph. Harry Biggs Collection. 2 photos of building the Eaglehawk Town Hall in the late 1860's early 1870's. In the foreground are horse & carts. This is an enlarged photo & a little indistinct with much light. Scaffolding can be seen on the façade. One photo darker & clearer than the other.place, building, public buildings, harry biggs collection, eaglehawk town hall

Yields information about the appearance of SEC trams early 1960's in Sturt near Lydiard Sts and the streetscape.Black and white photograph of Ballarat trams 37 and 31 at Sturt and Lydiard Sts. Dated 21/3/1962. Printed on Agfa Gevaert paper in a postcard format. No. 37 has the destination of Lydiard St Nth. The Town hall is in the background with scaffolding around the town section. Photo by Lloyd Rogers.In ink "Cars 37 & 21 in Sturt St near Lydiard St 21/3/1962 and 1/25"trams, tramways, sturt st, lydiard st, tram 37, tram 31

Tram 28 opposite Town Hall in Sturt St. travelling away from photographer towards Lydiard St. Has bogie car in background on opposite side of road. Tram fitted with SEC and Castrol ads. Town Hall has scaffolding on the outside of part of it. Taken on 18-7-62.'SEC Ballarat, No. 28 in Sturt St., 18-7-62' and on reverse side, 'W.Jack Photo' in blue ink.tramways, trams, sturt st, town hall, tram 28

Slide. Bendigo Views. Two story grey building with white window frames, a smaller cream brick building to the left and another three story building on the right. This building has scaffolding around it. Two tradesman's vehicles are in front of the buildings. Trees on the right of the picture. In the foreground is grass and weeds. The first Mt Alvernia Hospital.slide, bendigo, bendigo views, bendigo views

Yields information about the nature of tram services at the city terminus at Sturt and Lydiard St and the street scene at the time.Agfa colour slide, white cardboard mount, photo by Keith Caldwell on 12/3/1962 of: Tram 11 at the city terminus, Sturt and Lydiard St, with an inspector standing alongside the tram stop. The tram has the destination of Mt Pleasant, and The Age dash panel advertisement. In the background is the Town Hall with scaffolding around the central portion and the tower.In ink "Ballarat 12.3.62"tramways, trams, sturt st, lydiard st, inspectors, tram 11

Repairs to the Port Melbourne Town Hall clock tower were undertaken c.1950. One member of Council staff stands on top of the pediment while the other 5 are on the temporary scaffolding. The clock itself appears to have been temporarily covered over presumably to present damage. L - R Frank WHITE, Bill THACKRAY, J SHARPE , ? , Ross McKENZIE & Bill HELLINGS above the pediment. B & W photograph of workmen during repairs to the Port Melbourne Town Hall clock tower.Repairs to Clock Tower Town Hall. W THACKAY, F WHITE, B HELLINGS on toplocal government - city of port melbourne, port melbourne town hall, frank white, bill thackray, j sharpe, ross mckenzie, bill hellings

Yields information about the nature of tram services and trams in Lydiard St North and the Railway Station.Agfa colour slide, white cardboard mount, photo by Keith Caldwell on 12/3/1962 of: Tram 13 northbound in Lydiard St North, with the railway station and Reid's Coffee Palace in the background. The station clock tower has scaffolding around it. An Orlando wine advertisement is visible on the platform along with signal gantry. The Tram has an Age advertisement.In ink "Ballarat 12.3.62"tramways, trams, railway station, lydiard st north, tram 13

Newspaper clipping from The Age titled "Tram limit warning on Yarra Bridge". about structural issues with the Victoria St Richmond bridge. Notes the bridge was 127 years old at the time. VicRoads placed a tram restriction of one tram on the bridge at any one time, pending repairs. Has a photo of C class tram 3028, crossing the bridge, with scaffolding on one side. Item by Clay Lucas, photo by Joe Armao.Yields information about the Victoria St bridge, Kew and the need for repairs.Newspaper cutting from The Age, 28/7/2011tramways, bridges, victoria st, vicroads, repairs

Dark red covered auction catalogue with black printing for a sale on the 5th and 6th July 1983 at the Australian National Animal Health Laboratory, Geelong, Vic. For sale was Construction Materials, Equipment, Scaffolding, Transportable Site Buildings, G.F.C. False Work, and Large Quantity Piping Stainless Steel and Copper Fittings. J. H. Curnow & Son Pty. Ltd. Were the auctioneers.business, auctioneers, j h curnow & son pty ltd, ian dyett collection - auction catalogue - australian national animal health laboratory, john holland, j h curnow & son pty ltd, f c dyett, i m dyett, n f dyett, bolton bros pty ltd print

Hand tinted photo on cream board. Sacred heart cathedral (Bendigo). Red brick being faced by stone. Scaffolding in foreground. Note - the ventilation on the roof. Paper frame representing timber. Inscription: On front, B.L, Sacred Heart Cathedral'. On back, printed in pencil, 'Sacred Heart Cathedral'. Research: James Lerk, 'Construction of the transept and Sanctuary of the sacred heart cathedral c1957'place, building, sacred heart cathedral

Yields information about the nature of tram services and trams in Lydiard St North and the Town Hall.Agfa colour slide, white cardboard mount, photo by Keith Caldwell on 12/3/1962 of: Tram 13 turning from Sturt St into Lydiard St North, with the Town Hall and other buildings in the background. The Town Hall clock tower has scaffolding around it. The Tram has an Age advertisement on the dash panel and a Georgette Frock Salon - 13 Armstrong St.In ink "Ballarat 12.3.62"tramways, trams, sturt st, town hall, lydiard st north, tram 13

Yields information about the nature of tram services at the city terminus at Sturt and Lydiard St and the street scene at the time.Agfa colour slide, white cardboard mount, photo by Keith Caldwell on 12/3/1962 of: Tram 28 arriving at the City terminus, with the Town Hall, Myer and the Queen Victoria Statue in the background. The tram has the destination of Mt Pleasant and has a briquette dash panel roof advertisement and roof advertisements for Castrol Oil and Footrest. The Town Hall with the clock tower having scaffolding around it.In ink "Sturt St. 12.3.62"tramways, trams, sturt st, armstrong st, town hall, statues, tram 28

Two red covered auction catalogues with black printing for a sale on the 5th and 6th July 1983 for the Australian National Animal Health Laboratory, Geelong, Vic. For sale were construction materials, equipment, extensive scaffolding, transportable site buildings, G.F.C. False Work, large quantity piping stainless steel and copper fittings. Account: John Holland (Constructions) Pty. Ltd. J. H. Curnow & Son Pty. Ltd. Were the auctioneers.business, auctioneers, j h curnow & son pty ltd, ian dyett collection - auction catalogue - australian national animal health laboratory - geelong, john holland (constructions) pty ltd, j h curnow & son pty ltd, f c dyett, i m dyett, n f dyett, bolton bros pty ltd print

Artist Louise Hearman visited the Mission on the 15th of September 2011 and brought photographs in colour of her artwork painted in 1987/88 in the Norla Dome. She shared some background information about how she created the artwork: Louise arranged with O'Brien Glass to have the glass panes donated to replace the steel plates once covering the skylight. She painted the entire ceiling of the Dome precariously balancing on scaffolding. The walls were made as canvas panels and then put in place. She angled some of them to create openings so when you entered the Dome you were totally encased in her work.Louise Hearman is a Melbourne born artist and Archibald Prize winner. Hearman first came to public notice in 1987/88 when she spent a year painting the mural in the Norla Dome. The premises of the Mission also served as her studio at that time.Series of 7 colour photographs scannedlouise hearman, exhibitions, cultural events, norla dome, 1988, cottage, flinders street, melbourne, elephant room

Illustration was loose within Reg. Item 2488, opposite page 99, of a photo of three steeplejacks working on the ESCo power station chimney stack. Has some support scaffolding near the top of the tower. Caption to the photo on the bottom has part missing but would have been "Steeplejack on the Electric Supply Co.'s Stack." in capitals and notes "Chandler, Photo". Has been glued to another sheet of paper. (item within plastic folder within book container)Written notes in pencil.trams, tramways, esco, power station, chimney stack

Two red covered auction catalogues with black printing for a sale on the 6th, 7th & 8th March 1984 at the Australian National Animal Health Laboratory, Geelong, Vic. For sale were Transportable Site Buildings, Main Office, Main Store, Fitters, Carpenters & Test Workshops, Construction Materials, General and Electrical Equipment, Fork Lifts, Motor Vehicles, Tip Trucks, Bobcat, Scaffolding and Large Quantities Brass, Copper & Black Pipe Fittings. J. H. Curnow & Son Pty. Ltd. Were the auctioneers.business, auctioneers, j h curnow & son pty ltd, ian dyett collection - auction catalogue - australian national animal health laboratory, john holland, j h curnow & son pty ltd, f c dyett, i m dyett, n f dyett, bolton bros pty ltd print

Yields information about the nature of tram services at the city terminus at Sturt and Lydiard St and the street scene at the time.Agfa colour slide, white cardboard mount, photo by Keith Caldwell on 12/3/1962 of: Trams 11 and 27 arriving at the "Tramway Centre" the city terminus. Tram 11 has the destination of Mt Pleasant and has a The Age dash canopy advertisement. No. 27 showing Victoria St and has a Briquettes dash panel advertisement. In the background is the Burke and Wills Fountain, shelter, Golden Star Chinese Cafe, Georges Sea Food shop and the Town Hall with the clock tower having scaffolding around it.In ink "Ballarat 12.3.62"tramways, trams, shelters, sturt st, lydiard st north, fountains, tram 11, tram 27

Set of 7 colour prints of the re construction of the Hawthorn Tram Depot to the Watermark Apartments. All taken on 27-12-2001. .1 - view from the intersection of Power and Wallen Road, looking to the original building with scaffolding. .2 - View from Power St extension looking west. .3 -View from Wallen Road showing new block and tram track into the depot. .4 - View of the original building from Wallen Road. .5 - View from the gardens looking north showing the new block. .6 - ditto .7 - ditto Colliers Jardine and Bovis Lend Lease signs in the photos.All have details of photograph on rear and photographers name.trams, tramways, watermark apartments, hawthorn depot, construction, tram depot

Thirty page, A4 colour and black and white magazine - titled "V/Line News September 1984", Victorian State Transport Authority Journal. Has a photo of T361 passing under a Geelong bluestone overbridge. Articles included within the magazine are more locomotives for V Line, Ballarat Leads the Way in Tourist Promotion, Ballarat Station - a careful restoration, photos of Chief General Manager - John Hearsch, a photographic article by George Bamberry about Darjeeling trains, Michael Schrader - Railways of Australia new director. The Ballarat articles feature a photo of BTPS No. 14, with 661 behind. Warren Doubleday in No. 14. Railway station restoration article has photo two photos of the station, one circa 1900 and the other with scaffolding around the tower.trams, tramways, btps, railways, victorian railways, ballarat station

A Mechanics Institute in Bacchus Marsh dates from sometime in the 1850s. The first Mechanics Institute Hall was erected in 1858 in Young Street.(Victorian Collections no.659.) In 1883 a new and larger Mechanics Institute Hall was built in Main Street. The new hall cost 2,000 pounds to construct. It was opened by Sir William Clarke on 21 November 1883. The Mechanics Institute Library and rooms at the front of the hall were removed when the building was renovated in 1971. The building still stands and is used as a public hall.Small black and white 'carte de viste' style unframed photograph on card with gold border framing photograph. Housed in the Jeremeas Family Album which contains photographs of Bacchus Marsh and District in 1883 by the photographers Stevenson and McNicoll. The photo is of a substantial brick building under construction. Scaffolding support poles line the front and also can be seen on the top and back of the building. On the rooftop stand three workmen, with a further seven men standing at the front. Three men lean or stand casually at the front in casual poses. Four men stand in a line in another group on the roadway, perhaps indicating that they are master craftsmen. One of these men holds a tool of his trade, resembling a bricklayer’s mortar board. Six boys can be seen, four in a rather jaunty pose. In an indication of its public significance, the four front windows and door are arched and have decorative stone work in the side panels. A picket fence marks the boundary of the adjacent block.Printed On the front: Stevenson & McNicoll. Photo. 108 Elizabeth St. Melbourne. COPIES CAN BE OBTAINED AT ANY TIME. On the back: LIGHT & TRUTH inscribed on a banner surmounted by a representation of the rising sun. Copies of this Portrait can be had at any time by sending the Name and Post Office Money Order or Stamps for the amount of order to STEVENSON & McNICOLL LATE BENSON & STEVENSON, Photographers. 108 Elizabeth Street, MELBOURNE. stevenson and mcnicoll 1883 photographs of bacchus marsh and district, mechanics institutes, halls, bacchus marsh mechanics institute

On the 19th and 20th September 1910, the Mission organised a fundraising evening at the Masonic Hall on Collins Street. The "Tableaux vivants", called "Tennison's Dream of Fair Women" were arranged by artist Violet Teague. She arranged and painted the decors for the "tableaux vivants" in the Siddeley Mission. It's likely she also created the cover of this programme. "Mother and Lover of Men the Sea" is a verse form the poem: The Triumph of Time by Algernon Charles Swinburne While she was working, seamen from the Carnarvon Bay shipwreck were welcomed to the institute and subsequently invited to the evening. "They went through a large room, where a lady was standing on a scaffolding pointing a scene for the enter" tainment which is to take place this evening in the Masonic-hall. The lady was Miss Violet Teague, but she took her mind and her brush off the effects in marine blue sufficiently long to learn the main outlines of the story. " (Argus 19 September 1910). "During the evening the Rev W F Haire, acting chaplain to the mission announced that among those present were the shipwrecked survivors of the Carnarvon Bay, which was wrecked at King Island on Thursday last The men, who bore no traces of the hardships they endured took their places on the platform, whilst the large audience cheered itself hoarse and sang "For They Are Jolly Good relics". (Argus 20 September 1910) In 1935, Violet Teague was on the passengers on the C.B. Pedersen, one of the last windjammers. She Drew and painted during her voyage and exhibited the artworks in 1938.This rare programme is the last remaining testimony of the relationship between the Mission and famous artists of the time who provided illustrations for quotation calendars (Daryl Lyndsay, John Shirlow).12 pages programme. The cover is light blue paper with the design of the Greek ship printed in black ink.violet teague, tableaux vivants, 1910, fundraising, theatre, play, algernon charles swinburne, sponsors, advertising, carnarvon bay, shipwreck, una le souef, masonic hall, lady gibson-carmichael, willsmere certified milk and co, fry's cocoa, remington typewriter, hypol, lhlg, ladies harbour lights guild

Copy of a Heritage Trade & Services Directory Edition 1, dated April 2001. Compiled by City of Greater Bendigo Heritage Advisory Committee. Front cover has an oval picture of part of a building with scaffolding in front of it. Listed are: Architectural Hardware; Architects; Blacksmiths; Brickwork - General; Builders; Castings - Iron and Non Ferrous Metals; Cement Decoration and Rendering; Chimney Pots; Chimney Restoration; Chimney Sweeps; Colour Consultant; Concrete - Pre-cast; Damp Control; Drafting Service; Fabric; Fencing; Fire Mantels and Inserts; Floor Coverings; Furniture Restoration and French Polishing; Garden Renovations; Glass - Etching; Glass - Leadlighting; Guttering, Galvanised Iron and Sheet Metal Work; Interior Decorating; Joinery and Carpentry; Light Fittings; Masonry Cleaning; Paint; Painters and Decorators; Paint Stripping; Plasters and Associated Products; Resurfacing - Enameling; Resurfacing - Powder Coating; Restumping and Underpinning; Roof Restoration - Iron; Roof Restoration - Slate; Roof Restoration - Terracotta; Second Hand Materials; Stone - Quarries and Cutting; Stonemasons; Tile Layers; Tiles; Turning and Verandah Roofing.bendigo, history, long gully history group, the long gully history group - heritage trade & services directory, heritage advisory committee, city of greater bendigo

Louise Hearman used the Norla Dome and painted a mural painted which had taken her around a year to complete. The exhibition called Elephant Room was shown from June 1988. The work was vandalised in 1989 and subsequently demolished.Louise Hearman is a Melbourne born artist and Archibald Prize winner. Hearman first came to public notice in 1987/88 when she spent a year painting the mural in the Norla Dome. The premises of the Mission also served as her studio at that timeBlack and white copy of a newspaper article, printed on A4 paper.The sky’s the limit for modern Michelangelo Because it was there . . . Melbourne artist Louise Hearman in the domed gymnasium of the Mission to Seamen - Picture: ROSS DUNCAN THE dilapidated pool halls of Melbourne’s Mission to Seamen are an unlikely setting for a budding Michelangelo. But when Louise Hearman came across the one-time mission gymnasium she could not resist the urge to create a fresco. It did, however, take a little persuading for the Anglican Church, which still owns and operates a mission in the 61-year-old building, to agreee to house a minor Sistine Chapel on their premises. A year of labour later, Hearman has had no complaints about the great swirling sky or huge oil paintings which now adorn the empty 11-sided room. Instead she is constantly visited by old sailors and passers-by who are thrilled to discover the unusual architecture and artwork. “When peoiple come here it’s a real discovery. It’s something they find for themselves,” she said. Her pictures are neither religious nor symbolic, merely outpourings to create an atmosphere. “THere are lots of things I’d like to say but I’m not saying them in my paintings. “There are no messages, they don’t have any political statement. Life was a little more comfortable for Hearman than her renaissance predecessors. After struggling with cumbersome scaffolding to reach her “canvas” she discovered the modern wonders of the scissor lift. She does not look on the work as a huge achievement. However, it may all be for nought. Unless money is spent to restore the building the paintings she has created will crumble and die - Deborah Stone The Australian Tuesday 10 May 1988louise hearman, elephant room, norla dome, exhibitions, 1988, melbourne, flinders street, ross duncan, cultural events

Set of 31 transparencies taken on 25/2/1972 on Kodak mounts. 1201.1 - Bendigo No. 26 in Bond St. just after leaving Long Gully en route for Quarry Hill. Has Norris Supermarket in background. Has two SEC roof ads. 1201.2 - No. 26 climbing View St. from Charing Cross en route to Eaglehawk. Has ANZ bank and AMOCO service station in background. 1201.3 - as for 1201.3, but after tram has passed photographer. Has buildings west of Mackenzie St. in photograph. 1201.4 - Tram stop and centre of the road pole with two "CARS STOP BY REQUEST" signs mounted on pole at the corner of Mackenzie St. 1201.5 - same position as for 1201.3, but with No. 5 descending the street. 1201.6 - same position as for 1201.2, but with No. 5 descending the street. Photo taken after tram has passed photographer. 1201.7 - No. 7 in Nolan St. from across the park at Lake Weeroona. 1201.8 - No. 7 entering McCrae St from Nolan St. - distant view. Note "TRAM "sign on left hand side under tree and overhead in McCrae St. from former track that once was in this street. 1201.9 - No. 7 in High St. with Cathedral in background. Tram en route to North Bendigo. Note scaffolding around Cathedral main spire area. 1201.10 - No. 7 crossing Bendigo Creek bridge in High St. near Golden Square. Has a Caltex Service station in the background. 1201.11 - No. 7 at Golden Square terminus with Sunburst Fruit Juices and a Peters Ice cream delivery vans alongside. 1201.12 - as for 1201.11 but photo taken from behind tram, with the end of the rails in the photograph. 1201.13 - No. 7 and 21 in Pall Mall at Charing Cross with No. 5 in the background. Taken some distance away from the location. 1201.14 - No. 7 at Golden Square terminus, taken a short distance from the tram terminus. Shows Milk Bar on right hand side and the hotel on the left hand side. Taken from the south side of the roadway. 1201.15 - as from 1201.14 but taken from the north side of the roadway. 1201.16 - No 5 waiting at California Gully loop. Distant photo showing surrounds 1201.17 - No. 5 en route for Quarry Hill crossing No. 26 at California Gully. 1201.18 - No. 26 at Eaglehawk terminus with Eaglehawk Town Hall and Post Office in background. 1201.19 - No. 21 arriving at Charing Cross en route to North Bendigo. Has Alexandra Fountain in the background, ANZ bank RACV building, and other buildings on the north side of Pall Mall or Nolan St. 1201.20 - No. 26 en route for Quarry Hill at Charing Cross, with crew standing by front door. Has Colonial Mutual life building, Armstrong Tyre Service (Firestone) and a sign for Cohns Drinks in the background. 1201.21 - as for 1201.20 but with No. 5 en route to Eaglehawk now in photograph. 1201.22 - No. 26 at Quarry Hill terminus. 1201.23 - No. 26 at Quarry Hill terminus, view of front portion of tram only from a gate at the Bendigo cemetery. 1201.24 - Track at the end of the Quarry Hill line showing the point blades of the former "Y" terminus and the overhead for this. 1201.25 - No. 2 at the Quarry Hill terminus, looking along the former Trackwork. 1201.26 - as for 1201.25 1201.27 - number not used. 1201.28 - Golden Square terminus from some distance from the actual terminus, showing the Warning sign "TRAM" for motorists from the south. No. 7 at the terminus. 1201.29 - No. 7 passing through the Golden Square shopping centre. Numerous cars and pedestrians. Tram en route for North Bendigo. 1201.30 - No. 7 in High St. Golden Square, en route for North Bendigo. Photo taken after tram has passed photographer. 1201.31 - No. 7 in High St. just past Wattle St. with the Cathedral in the background. Tram has two SEC roof ads good side on photo, 'Everything's fine in my all electric kitchen' and 'Electrical cooking - clean, quick, economical'. 1201.32 - No. 7 in High St. nearing Wattle St. Has Cathedral in the background. Photo taken after tram has passed photographer.Information written on in black ink and date stamped on purple ink. 1201.1 - "No. 26 in Bond St just after leaving Long Gully" 1201.2 - "No. 26 climbing View St. from Charing Cross" 1201.3 - "No. 26 ascending View St. from Charing Cross (At Mackenzie St.)" 1201.4 - "View St. & Mackenzie St." 1201.5 - "No. 5 in View St. near Mackenzie St." 1201.6 - "No. 5 in View St. nearing Charing Cross." 1201.7 - "No. 7 in Nolan St. seen from Lake Weeroona Park." 1201.8 - "No. 7 entering McRae St. from Nolan St. Note "TRAM" warning sign on left. 1201.9 - "No. 7 in High St. passing Short St." 1201.10 - "No. 7 crossing Bendigo Creek bridge in High St. near Golden Square." 1201.11 - "No. 7 at Golden Square terminus" 1201.12 - "No. 7 at Golden Square terminus" 1201.13 - "No 7, 21 and 5 at Charing Cross" 1201.14 - "No. 7 at Golden Square terminus" 1201.15 - "No. 7 at Golden Square terminus" 1201.16 - "No 5 waiting at California Gully loop." 1201.17 - "Nos. 5 and 26 crossing at California Gully loop" 1201.18 - "No. 26 at Eaglehawk terminus" 1201.19 - "No. 21 arriving at Charing Cross from Golden Square" 1201.20 - "No. 26 at Charing Cross" 1201.21 - "Nos. 5 and 26 at Charing Cross." 1201.22 - "No. 26 at Quarry Hill terminus" 1201.23 - "No. 26 at Quarry Hill terminus seen through the gates of the Bendigo Cemetery." 1201.24 - "Quarry Hill terminus showing remains for former double track layout abandoned before 1964." 1201.25 - "No. 2 at Quarry Hill terminus" 1201.26 - "No. 2 at Quarry Hill terminus" 1201.28 - "The Southern approach to Golden Square with No. 7 standing at the terminus, "TRAM" warning sign on the left. 1201.29 - "No. 7 passing through Golden Square Shopping Centre" 1201.30 - "No. 7 in High St. Golden Square" 1201.31 - "No. 7 in High St. passing Wattle St." 1201.32 - "No. 7 in High St. nearing Wattle St."tramways, trams, bendigo, bond st., view st., nolan st., high st., eaglehawk, california gully, charing cross, quarry hill, trackwork, tram 2, tram 5, tram 7, tram 21, tram 26

Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone in two pieces. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whale bones, whale skeleton, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips

Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone piece. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips

Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070. Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone vertebrae. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips

Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone piece. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips