Object Details
- possible owner of sign
- Baker, Ansol
- Description
- The words “BAKER NEW BEDFORD.” appear on the back of this cast-iron sperm whale, which has two mounting lugs on the bottom for fastening to a flat surface. These features suggest that it was a shop sign for one of the many stores in New Bedford, Massaschusetts that provided items to whalers needed for their dirty and dangerous business. In the 1878 New Bedford city directory, the only person listed with the surname Baker was Ansol Baker, a machinist.
- New Bedford was the largest American whaling port in the industry, which flourished until the Civil War and lasted into the early 20th century.
- 19th century
- ID Number
- CL.25052
- catalog number
- 25052
- accession number
- 2009.0157
- catalog number
- 2009.0157.01
- Object Name
- shop sign
- Physical Description
- iron (overall material)
- paint (overall material)
- cast (overall production method/technique)
- Measurements
- approx.: 20 in; x 50.8 cm
- location where used
- United States: Massachusetts
- United States: Massachusetts, New Bedford
- Related Publication
- National Museum of American History. On the Water exhibition website
- Related Web Publication
- http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthewater
- See more items in
- Work and Industry: Maritime
- Cultures & Communities
- Advertising
- Natural Resources
- Transportation
- Art
- Exhibition
- On the Water
- Exhibition Location
- National Museum of American History
- National Museum of American History
- Subject
- Engineering
- Architecture
- Fishing
- related event
- The Development of the Industrial United States
- Record ID
- nmah_661968
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a4-c1ff-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
