Them bnes, them bnes....
AUCTIONEER David Palmer is hping fr wrldwide interest fr his latest fascinating lt – a sailr s needle case crafted frm a human arm bne. The amazing find, dating back t the 18th Century, will g n sale in Ely and acrss the glbe by internet link
AUCTIONEER David Palmer is hping fr wrldwide interest fr his latest fascinating lt - a sailr's needle case crafted frm a human arm bne.
The amazing find, dating back t the 18th Century, will g n sale in Ely and acrss the glbe by internet link n Saturday.
The case, crafted frm a frearm bne, shws a whaling scene f a small bat pursuing a Narl whale.
"I'm speculating that the bne was prbably sawn frm a sailr and he said 'dn't thrw that away' because he knew he had a gd use fr it," said David, auctineer with Blyth and C n the Market Place, Ely.
"The needle case is made frm the whle length f the frearm bne, frm wrist t elbw. It is hllw and carved n the utside."
The carving is an example f Scrimshaw - handiwrk created by whalers and mre cmmnly made frm the bnes f marine mammals.
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Scrimshaw tk the frm f elabrate carvings f pictures and lettering n the surface f the bne and began n whaling ships in the Pacific Ocean between 1817 and 1824.
It was a leisure activity fr sailrs and survived until the ban n cmmercial whaling.
The needle case, which wuld have been used t stre the needles used fr repairing the ship's sails, was put up fr sale by a resident f East Cambridgeshire and culd fetch arund £200 at auctin.
It will frm part f a sale f antiquities, cins, military items, pictures and cllectibles.
David's vice will be heard acrss the internet as he cnducts the auctin frm the Ely salerm and bids have been taken wrldwide thrugh a website link.
