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| We hand make early eighteenth and nineteenth century whaling harpoons for sale. These are real harpoons, made new, but aged to look historically old. Ours are the finest representations found anywhere and are ordered by museums and even used in a whale fishery today! These "irons" make an excellent display of nautical history for your home, office or museum. |
| Our representations are based on the Catalogue of the Whaling Museum Whalecraft Collection of the Old Dartmouth Historical Society in New Bedford. We rely on the bible of all harpoon books, Harpoons and Other Whalecraft, by Thomas G. Lytle for our traditional knowledge of the irons used in the whaling fishery. |
| Museum Quality Harpoons |
| S & P www.harpoons.us |
| The harpoon consists of the "iron", usually about 36 inches long. One end was the "head" which penetrated the blubber. It did not kill the whale but was designed to "hold fast". The shaft or "shank" was about 3/8 inch in diameter and ended at the "socket". The socket was conical in shape of around six inches and in the American Whale Fishery was split to allow a little springiness with which to hold to the pole better. It was served with marline to prevent chafe. A short "whale line" or "iron strap"of hemp, and later manila, was bent around the shank at the socket with a double hitch and splice. The other end was an eye splice. The pole was 5-6 feet long, about 2 inches or better in diameter and was cut from saplings. They were mostly crooked. The iron was attached to the pole by fitting the socket to the tapered end. The iron strap was lightly tied to the pole with marline. |
| The hand-darted harpoon of the eighteenth century was the two-flue iron. This preceded the single flue. Ships records show basically whalemen carried both styles. The inventive urge during the whaling era was mostly in the makers' design of the "iron". We make several of the types created by the shipsmiths of the era. |
In thomas G. Lytle's book, Harpoons And Other Whalecraft, he describes the Temple iron: "The earliest toggle irons were made with the toggle head positioned inside a shank clevis. The head rotated on a pivot pin that was fastened in the clevis and passed through the toggle head. Tradition attributes the invention of this harpoon to Lewis Temple, a New Bedford blacksmith, in 1848. It has since been known as "Temple's gig," or the "Temple iron." It was quickly proven, widely accepted, and became standard in the industry." |
| Luther Cole was born May 20, 1822. He made harpoons in New Bedford and later opened his own shop in Fairhaven, MA circa 1859. Cole Harpoon $ 295.00 + ship |
| Josiah Macy was born on Nantucket in 1805. He moved to New Bedford and made harpoons there with his three sons. Macy Harpoon $ 295.00 + ship |
| The single & two-flue irons were the original "common" harpoons of the whaling industry. When the Toggle iron was invented, it also was added to this status. |
| The single - flue harpoon was first used in the whaling fishery about circa 1825. It was thought to hold in the whale better than the two-flue type and not cut its way out due to the flat underside of the head. Single flue Harpoon $ 285.00 + ship |
| James Durfee was born in Fall River, MA circa 1766. He was a New Bedford blacksmith. J. Durfee Harpoon $ 295.00 + ship |
| James M. Snow & Nathaniel S. Purrington operated on J and J Howlands Wharf in New Bedford. S&P Harpoon $ 295.00 + ship |
| Temple Toggle Harpoon $ 345.00 + ship |
| Common Toggle Harpoon $ 345.00 + ship |
| Shipping for all harpoons orders in The U.S. is $30.00 per harpoon. A discount may apply to orders of two harpoons. Contact us for International rates. |
For "Irons" only Subtract $100.00 from listed price
