Antique American Toggle Iron Harpoon, circa 1880

Antique American Darting Gun Toggle Iron Harpoon, made by E.B. and F. Macy, New Bedford, for the Larboard Boat on the Whaling Bark Sunbeam (1856 - 1908), having an improved toggle head with acute barb (standing nearly at a right angle), and an unusual ridged cheek, with the maker's mark MACY stamped on the right cheek (the mark of E.B. & F. Macy, blacksmiths of New Bedford: 1861-1904), the ship stamp BK SB on the left cheek (for the Bark Sunbeam, and the dot punched boat mark L B (for the Larboard, or Second, or Port-side Stern whale boat); mounted on a round shank slightly kinked from use, ending in the spike end necessary for use with a darting gun, and the loop for splicing on the iron strap. An amazing artifact retaining a tremendous amount of historical documentation. The harpoon remain in very good condition with a still very sharp cutting edge and deep brown patina and no corrosion. The head is frozen, but in the absence of rust it would very likely free up with a little lubrication if so desired. The tip of the front barb has a small chip off tip. The slight kink to the shank comes from use and is considered by most to be a a good feature. The Bark SUNBEAM was built in Mattapoisett in 1856 and enjoyed a long career in the New Bedford whale fishery of 17 voyages to the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Clifford Ashley...

Antique grand banks dory fishermen seascape by Joseph A. Woods, circa 1910, an impressionist oil on panel seascape with two fishermen in dory in the foreground hauling back on their ...

American pottery still bank in the shape of a pig, used for saving coins (usually pennies) to encourage children the importance of thrift. Pottery still banks are somewhat scarce since the typical way to remove coins was to smash the bank open, albeit, with this particular example, perhaps a knife was used for coin removal (note the wear to the coin slot---see images) or perhaps the additional wear is also from many coins having been deposited. The bank is in good all original condition , from an unknown potter (unmarked) circa 1880's, and probably a variant of #633 "Two Toned Pig" in Andy Moore's "The Penny Bank Book" written in 1984 when collecting pottery banks...

Very rare and unusual piece, a sterling silver "note holder" fronted by an Indian Chief on the front in high relief. A bale on top provides for a necklace and hanging as a decorative piece of jewelry. Other decoration on the front includes a tomahawk and a peace pipe criss-crossed beneath the Indian. The back is plain with a decorative "repousse" floral border, and "sterling" clearly marked in the lower left (see image). It is 2 7/8" high  x 2" wide resembling and in the style of a match safe; probably manufactured by Unger Bros. of Newark, New Jersey, circa 1880, but difficult to observe all of the surfaces because of the frontal "notes" in permanent place. A note holder would have been used to write down reminders and/or notations by the user; the surfaces appear to be a celluloid type material. Condition is excellent with six notes intact; a very slight "crease" to the back side; hardly noticeable (see image). Appropriate Americana for the discerning collector with a Western Native American...