c. 1800 Very Fine Ink and Watercolor on Laid of Blue Whale and Narwahl 1940s snapshot with nice old nails at

with nice old nails at each point where the black painted pieces meet

cast using the lost-wax method

There is a strong Inuit tradition of carving human and owl faces from whale vertebrae

I have since found others similar (including in museum collections) and know that it likely came from Guererro in Mexico

so lid just rests on top

c. 1800 Very Fine Ink and Watercolor on Laid of Blue Whale and Narwahl 1940s snapshot with nice old nails atThis is not a hand colored engraving, it is an original, beautifully executed ink and watercolor drawing on watermarked laidone of a number I purchased from a German seller, all done by the same person I believe, c. 1800 or just a bit earlier. Photos do no justice, but the rich color and exquisite execution makes these miraculous creatures including the completely miraculous Narwahl! feel all the more so. I would guess it was the original drawing