SOLD FOR $30,000
Whaleman Made Scrimshaw Chambered Nautilus Display Case Stand, circa 1850, in two parts, fashioned of dovetailed ebony and inlaid with ivory and mother of pearl dot and diamond borders, 6 three-section ivory columns with carved capitals, baleen spacers, 7 very fine turned finials, the upper two-tier section with rare shell specimens above a 6 column display of a two mirrored halves of the chambered nautilus shell, a unique feature of the piece is the side pull out inlayed framed protection glass to expose the nautilus shells.
Height 16 in. Width 15 in. Depth 4 ½ in.

A note affixed to the reverse of the case states: “This chambered nautilus scrimshaw case was made for Nora Clara Barton around 1850 while on a trip around the world on her father’s whaling ship. Over fifty nautiluses were cut before this perfect specimen was obtained. The shells in the top section were collected in Cuba by Janet Auty Easterbrooks and installed in 1926. The animals were collected and added by PBE Jr. in 1926.”

Note: A similar Nautilus Shell Stand is in the collection of the New Bedford Whaling Museum, collection number 2001.100.666