Showing 289 items
matching composite material
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Tennis Australia
Racquet, 1978
An AMF Head Vilas, wood/graphite composite tennis racquet, with open throat design. Head logo features across base of racquet head. Model name features along shaft. AMF Head emblem and logo feature on top of handle, above grip. AMF Head logo features on plastic sticker over black butt cap. Registration number written along left side of shaft: W-58305. Materials: Wood, Graphite, Leather, Plastic, Nylon, Glue, Lacquer, Metal, Ink, Adhesive tapetennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1972
An Head 'Arthur Ashe Competition 2, Boron Flex' tennis racquet, with: wood/boron/plastic composite frame with open throat; grooved outer crown; plastic butt cap; and, brown leather handle grip over hard plastic shaft encasement. Manufacturer's name features across base of head, across top of shaft encasement, and across butt cap. Model name features along left side of shaft. Materials: Metal, Plastic, Wood, Nylon, Leather, Adhesive tape, Ink, Papertennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1975
An Head 'Arthur Ashe Competition 2, Boron Flex' tennis racquet, with: wood/boron/plastic composite frame with open throat; grooved outer crown; plastic butt cap; and, dark brown leather handle grip over hard plastic shaft encasement. Manufacturer's name features across base of head, across top of shaft encasement, and across butt cap. Model name features along left side of shaft. Patent number on butt sticker. Materials: Metal, Plastic, Wood, Nylon, Leather, Adhesive tape, Ink, Papertennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1980
An Head 'Arthur Ashe Competition 3' tennis racquet, with: wood/aluminium/plastic composite frame with open throat; grooved outer crown; plastic butt cap; and, Spalding synthetic handle grip over hard plastic shaft encasement. Manufacturer's name features along lower shaft, and across butt sticker. Model name features along throat. Materials: Metal, Plastic, Wood, Nylon, Synthetic material, Adhesive tape, Ink, Papertennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1973
A blue & white Yamaha 'YCR128' composite tennis racquet, featuring: single shaft; nylon net strings; red/black leather handle grip; black plastic shaft casing; and, black plastic butt cap. Handle covered with original clear plastic packaging wrap. Logo inlaid in silver on butt cap. Word: 'COMPOSITE' printed across throat. Model name printed on edge of shaft. Materials: Fibreglass, Plastic, Nylon, Adhesive tape, Leathertennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1970
A Bancroft 'ProLite' composite (fibreglass over wood) tennis racquet, featuring string whipping around shoulders; solid throat; nylon net strings; black leather handle grip; and white butt cap. Manufacturer name printed on bridge. Logo embossed in red on butt cap. Model name printed along shaft. Materials: Fibreglass, Wood, Adhesive tape, Ink, Leather, Plastictennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1983
A grey Bancroft 'Laser' composite (graphite/fibreglass/wood) tennis racquet, featuring open throat; nylon net strings; black leather handle grip; and red & white butt cap. Manufacturer name printed on bridge. Logo embossed in red on butt cap. Model name printed along shaft. Materials: Fibreglass, Wood, Adhesive tape, Ink, Leather, Plastic, Graphitetennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1977
A Tremont Research Centre 'MAG-1' T201 model tennis racquet, with open throat; handle wrapped in leather, and a plastic butt cap with adhesive label. On base of head states: 'STRUCTURAL FOAM...MAG-1...GRAPHITE COMPOSITE'. On lower shaft states; 'T201' and a 'T' logo. Sticker on butt cap states: 'MAG-1'. Along edge of shaft are manufacturer details. Materials: Adhesive tape, Vinyl, Plastic, Ink, Leather, Adhesive label, Graphitetennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1983
A black Hang Ten 'TAD' graphite composite tennis racquet with open throat, rubber butt cap and handle wrapped with leather. Manufacturer's name on shaft. Model name embossed on butt cap. Manufacturer's 'double footprint' logo features on right side of throat. Materials: Adhesive tape, Leather, Ink, Vinyl, Graphite, Rubbertennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1984
A Yonex 'R-7' graphite composite tennis racquet with open throat, plastic butt cap and handle wrapped with leather. Manufacturer's name on base of head. Model name printed on base of throat. Manufacturer's 'double Y' logo features on top section of handle and on butt cap. Manufacturer's logo and name are printed repeatedly on leather grip wrap. Materials: Adhesive tape, Leather, Ink, Vinyl, Graphite, Plastictennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1985
A composite tennis racquet marked 'Revolution' with open throat, plastic butt cap and handle wrapped with leather grip tape. Model/Manufacturer's name printed on crown Materials: Adhesive tape, Ink, Vinyl, Plastic, Leathertennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1905
A Wright & Ditson 'The Hub' model tennis racquet with composite convex throat. Model name printed across crown on obverse. Name of manufacturer and place of origin (Boston, Mass. USA) printed across throat on obverse. Manufacturer's trademark/logo features across throat on reverse. Octagonal handle with makeshift leather end wrap attached with nails. Inscription on side of shaft: PATENTED JAN. 3, 05. Materials: Wood, Metal, Lacquer, Glue, Ink, Leather, Guttennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1914
A Wright & Ditson 'The Hub' model tennis racquet with composite convex throat. String whipping reinforcements around right shoulder. Model name printed across throat on obverse. Manufacturer's trademark/logo features across throat on reverse. Fine grooved octagonal handle with leather end wrap attached with nails. Imprinted on side of shaft: PATENTED 09 14. Materials: Wood, Metal, Lacquer, Glue, Ink, Leather, Gut, Stringtennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1920
A Wright & Ditson 'The Hub' model tennis racquet with composite convex throat. String whipping reinforcements around shoulders. Plastic tape around base of throat. Model name printed across throat on obverse. Manufacturer's trademark/logo features across throat on reverse. Fine grooved octagonal handle with leather end wrap and butt cover. Manufacturer name and country of origin imprinted on side of shaft. Materials: Wood, Metal, Lacquer, Glue, Ink, Leather, Gut, Plastictennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1975
A Slazenger Royal Cup, wood/fibre composite squash racquet, with string whipping around shoulders, and cotton handle grip still sealed in original plastic wrap. Materials: Wood, Fibre, Ink, Cotton, Nylon, Plastic, String, Adhesive tape, Bambootennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet & cover, Circa 2000
A Fox Ceramic WB-310 graphite-composite squash racquet (.1) with vinyl cover (.2). Materials: Graphite, Ceramic, Fibre, Nylon, Leather, Adhesive tape, Plastic, Ink, Vinyl, Synthetic material, Metaltennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1985
A graphiet-composite squash racquet, not for sale, and most likely a prototype. Small sticker over plastic handle grip seal features weight and head/throat length information. Possibly a Dunlop product. Materials: Graphite, Ceramic, Fibre, Nylon, Leather, Adhesive tape, Plastictennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1934
A Wright & Ditson 'All American' model composite wood racquet with open throat and octagonal handle. Spiral-wrapped perforated grip tape sealed at ends with plastic tape. Striped plastic reinforcement at top of grip. Striped plastic reinforcements and white paint around shoulders. Green painted section on shaft with gold writing on obverse: WRIGHT & DITSON/CHAMPIONSHIP QUALITY and on reverse is manufacturer's name and icon. Manufacturer's name and racquet model also printed in cursive script across base of head on both sides of racquet. Materials: Wood, Metal, Lacquer, Glue, Ink, Leather, String, Nylon, Plastic, Painttennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1906
A destrung Wright & Ditson 'Columbia' tennis racquet, with: composite convex throat; bevelled crown; and, fine-grooved handle. Model name features across throat on obverse. WRIGHT & DITSON MAKERS/U.S.A. features along right side of shaft. Wright & Ditson 'tennis player on ball' trademark features across throat on reverse. Materials: Wood, Metal, Lacquer, Glue, Ink, Leathertennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1906
A Wright & Ditson 'Columbia' tennis racquet, with: composite convex throat; bevelled crown; and, fine-grooved handle. Model name features across throat on obverse. WRIGHT & DITSON MAKERS/U.S.A. features along right side of shaft. Wright & Ditson Championship 'tennis player on ball' trademark features across throat on reverse. Materials: Wood, Metal, Lacquer, Glue, Ink, Leather, Guttennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1907
A Wright & Ditson 'Columbia' tennis racquet, with: composite convex throat; bevelled crown; and, fine-grooved handle. Model name features across throat on obverse. Manufacturer details feature along right side of shaft, and across butt cover. Wright & Ditson Championship 'tennis player on ball' trademark features across throat on reverse. Materials: Wood, Metal, Lacquer, Glue, Ink, Leather, Guttennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1912
A Wright & Ditson 'Columbia' tennis racquet, with: composite convex throat; bevelled crown; whipping around shoulders; and, mid-grooved handle. Model name features across throat on obverse. Manufacturer details feature along right side of shaft. Wright & Ditson Championship 'tennis player on ball' trademark features across throat on reverse. Materials: Wood, Metal, Lacquer, Glue, Ink, Leather, Gut, String, Painttennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1905
A Wright & Ditson 'Pim' model tennis racquet with composite convex throat. Rounded flat top head with cloth tape reinforcements around shoulders. Model name printed across throat on obverse. Manufacturer's trademark/logo features across throat on reverse. Fine-grooved octagonal handle and leather end wrap. On left side of shaft: PATENTED/JAN. 3, 05. On right side of shaft, manufacturer name and country of manufacture are printed. Materials: Wood, Metal, Lacquer, Glue, Ink, Leather, Gut, Cloth tapetennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1904
A Wright & Ditson 'Pim' model tennis racquet with composite convex throat. Rounded flat top head with clear tape reinforcements around shoulders. Model name printed across throat on obverse. Manufacturer's trademark/logo features across throat on reverse. Fine-grooved octagonal handle, leather end wrap. Butt cap printed with WD and racquet care instructions. On right side of shaft, manufacturer name and country of manufacture are printed. Materials: Wood, Metal, Lacquer, Glue, Ink, Leather, Gut, Cloth tapetennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1905
A Wright & Ditson 'Pim' model tennis racquet with composite convex throat. Rounded flat top head with cloth tape reinforcements around shoulders. Model name printed across throat on obverse. Manufacturer's trademark/logo features across throat on reverse. Fine-grooved octagonal handle, trace remains of leather end wra. Remains of butt cap printed with racquet care instructions, and manufacturer's name and location. On right side of shaft, manufacturer name and country of manufacture are printed. Red buffers lodged under string loops on sides of throat. Materials: Wood, Metal, Lacquer, Glue, Ink, Leather, Nylon, Cloth tapetennis -
Tennis Australia
Racquet, Circa 1981
A Regent PTX-80 tennis racquet, with an open throat, and wood/fibreglass composite construction. Regent logo and model name feature along the throat. 'R' trademark features at base of shaft. Manufacturer's details feature on the right side of the shaft. Leather handle grip features triangular-patterned perforations. Materials: Wood, Nylon, Glue, Lacquer, Metal, Ink, Plastic, Adhesive tape, Leather, String, Fibreglasstennis -
Tennis Australia
Trophy, 2001
... Cup - World FInals Madrid Nov 7-11'. Materials: Pewter/Metal...-11'. Materials: Pewter/Metal composite Tennis ...Pewter cup engraved with 'Tennis Australia' and '2001 Fed Cup - World FInals Madrid Nov 7-11'. Materials: Pewter/Metal compositetennis -
Orbost & District Historical Society
black and white photograph, first half 20th century
The Stony Creek Trestle Bridge was built in 1916 when the existing rail line from Melbourne to Bairnsdale was extended to Orbost. This 97km Bairnsdale to Orbost extension through rugged terrain was reputed to have been the most difficult rail project undertaken in Victoria. In service for over 60 years the bridge was damaged by bushfire in 1980, with the last train crossing in 1987. At 247m long and 20m high, it is the largest standing bridge of its kind in the State, and is listed on the Register of Historic Sites. Built of red ironbark and grey box timber, it is a fine example of the early engineering skills that utilised the resources and materials found on site.The Bairnsdale to Orbost rail line contains the most varied range of timber & timber composite bridges on any Victorian line. The Stoney Creek bridge is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register for its architectural and historical significance. A black / white photograph of a very tall wooden railway bridge with a train along the top.railway-bridge stoney-creek-bridge east-gippsland-railway -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Animal specimen - Whale bone, Undetermined
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 -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Animal specimen - Whale bone, Undetermined
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