A very unusual ivory barrel and whalebone cane. The whale ivory small handle is 1 1/3" long and 1/2" thick. Fashioned as an eight-sided barrel, it is inscribed with the names of three men on the top: "H.M.Bunn, "W. Leivsey" and "T. Thove". (One can speculate on their identity. Were they investors in a whaling venture" Does the barrel signify whale oil that was so commercially valuable. Were they sea captains? One can only use conjecture at this point.) The shaft is thin, tapering whalebone that ends with a 1/12" white metal and iron ferrule. The overall length is 33 1/4" and the condition is very good. It is perhaps American, ca 1850, and in is a most interesting sailor-made example. Estimate: $900-$1300. This lot is subject to shipping restrictions outlined in Terms and Conditions.