Engraved Whale's Tooth

Description:

Engraved Whale's Tooth,19th century,one side of the tooth depicting a monument topped with a crucifix and flying American flags over a scene continuing around the base of the tooth with sailing and steam vessels with a seaside village and mountains in the background , the reverse depicting an urn issuing leafy branches flanked by two potted plants, (age cracks),lg. 6 1/8 in.

Provenance: Descended in the family of William and Henry Walters, who established Baltimore's Walters Art Museum, a privately assembled collection that excels in many diverse fields of the fine arts.
Estimate $1,500-2,500

Crack on urn side goes entirely up and then down 1/3 of the way on the other side, also several other tight hairlines around base and tip and one which widens enough to put a fingernail in at the base; a 3/8 in. chip on the base edge on the monument side.

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