December 14-17, 2021 Collectible Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/14/2021
During the middle of the 19th century, inventors were struggling with how to circumvent some of the issues with whaling, including trying to combat a particularly resilient whale (especially in poor weather), penetration of the blubber, and trying to close the distance to a whale. Early firearms were employed, but the whale would quickly sink and the whole harvest would be lost, leaving the age old default of a barb and a killing lance the long preferred method until the advent of the bomb lance was perfected, where it became the preferred method of whale hunting. Lot consists of a pair of bomb lances, (A) of Christopher Brand's improved patent with tri-blade head as developed by Oliver Allen and sold to Christopher Brand, (B) is of the Pierce design with 4 fins and lacking a harpoon head. CONDITION: Very good. (A) has acquired a smooth chocolate patina with some flashes of black enameling present, and still has a heavily faded label reading "C. BRAND / IMPROVED BOMB LANCE / PAT. June 22nd 1852". Pierce lance has non factory labels from display and is missing the harpoon head and has a chip missing at top but brass has a rich, untampered with mustard appearance. This is a really excellent lot for the maritime enthusiast. EMW