020 whale tooth
Identification number: 020
Object: Decorated tooth
Material: Sperm whale
Artist: unknown
Date: 19th century Basis style
Length: 6" 15.4 cm
Width: 3 1/8" 7.8 cm
Thickness: 1 5/8" 4.2 cm
Pigment: black
Tool used: knife
Design description: - Face full Length: portrait of a woman dressed in costume of Lima, Peru
Verso: warship with cannons, sails full, flying American flag
Condition: dirty; surface abraded on lady's dress where tooth would rest when ship side is on view; several chips missing from base, fine cracks rise from base, a few in the surface at the tip
Other notes: cut at base to permit standing
La tapada is the name for this mid-nineteenth century attire of upper class women of Lima, Peru. See file 025 (also depicting costume of lima) which contains a picture from cruise of the United States Frigate Potomac Round the World During the years 1831-1834 by Francis Warriner. A.M. found in PPL Special Collections
Location: Box 1
Cataloged by Judith N. Lund - Date: 5 April 1999
