Barque TERROR Commencing after Sperm Whales

This panbone plaque is engraved with a whaling scene, signed by the artist and inscribed as a presentation piece. At the top is a crest of coat of arms, and at the bottom are the words 'Barque TERROR Commencing after Sperm Whales, Property of B. Boyd, Esq.'. The panbone is signed E Mickleburgh.

Panbone comes from the lower jaw of the sperm whale and can be cut into a nearly flat panel serving as a whalebone canvas. A scrimshander can then scribe a design with simple tools such as the sailor's jackknife, and highlight the engraved lines with pigments such as ink made from lamp black.