FREE ESTIMATE. To buy, auction, sell or consign your whaling ship logbook that is for sale, please email your description and photos to [email protected] of Nate D. Sanders Auctions (http://www.NateDSanders.com).

Consign your whaling ship logbook that is for sale. Contact [email protected] to sell your whaling ship logbook.

Whaling Ship Logbook Sold

Whaling in the 19th century was primarily to harvest whale oil from their blubber to produce lamp oil and soap. Expeditions generally lasted several years with the longest one lasting a lengthy 11 years. Whale ship logbooks were used to record all details of the long voyage, including day to day details on the boat, climate conditions, presence of icebergs and whale sightings. In recent years it has been noted that the weather conditions logged in whaling ship logbooks can help scientists understand how climate change has progressed because they are able to study the detailed narratives of conditions while at sea.

We sold an intriguing whaling ship logbook at auction for $2,160. Details are below:

1853 Whaling Ship Logbook — Detailing Hunting and Extraction of Oil From Whales Along the Pacific Coast of South America — With Whale Stamps and Four Drawings in Pencil of Caribbean Islands

Very rare 1853-1857 whaling ship logbook, from a trip aboard the “Bark Keoka” of New Bedford, Massachusetts, to the whaling grounds of the Pacific coast of South America. Included are 12 full whale stamps, 5 whale tale stamps and 4 small, pencil drawings of Caribbean Islands that the Bark encountered. This detailed logbook documents the ship’s first whaling voyage; it had previously been one of the first ships to carry prospectors and supplies to the Gold Fields of California. The log commences with the Bark Keoka, commanded by Captain John G. Howland, leaving New Bedford on 29 October 1853 and ends on 6 May 1857, when Block Island (Rhode Island) is sighted at a short distance from New Bedford Harbor. The book logs the day-to-day activities of the whalers, the ship’s position, with notations of longitudes and latitudes, weather and sea conditions, and sails set and used. There is an entry for almost every day, taking up 116 pages of the logbook. Many entries document the hunting and killing of whales, and the extraction of oil from them. Reads in part: “Remarks on Board. Monday Nov 13th 1854…First part these 24 hours strong trades from SE steering SW at 3PM. Saw blackfish and a lone sperm whale going quick to windward lowered the boats without success at 5. Came on board and took up the boats ship by the wind to S by 1/2. Middle part tacked to ENE latter part the same. Saw blackfish. So ends these 24 hours. Lat by Obs 13 18 South Long by Chro 84 02 West…Remarks on Board. Thursday Dec 7th 1854…First part these 24 strong trades from S steering by the wind to WSW at 1/2 past one. Saw a school of sperm whales at 2, lowered the boats in chase at 3. Struck and killed him at 7. Took the whale alongside the ships. Middle part getting ready for cutting. Latter part at 6 cont. cutting the whale at 10AM finished cutting and began to clean up decks. Ship by the wind to ESE. Nothing more of remarks. So ends these 24 hours…Lat by Obs 1 55 North Long…Remarks on Board. Friday Dec 9th, 1853…First part these 24 hours fresh trades from the E steering by the wind to SSE heading in for Island of Brava at 3 AM. Hauled aback off the landing place the Capt went on shore at 4 AM came off with an officer from shore the lying off and on the island. Middle part fresh breezed from E ship lying off and in Brava. Latter parts the same. One boat off shore trading for recruits. Spoke Banks John A Robb of Fair Hannd Skinner. Master 6 weeks out clean at 1130 PM. The boat came off with some recruits and went on shore again. So ends these 24 hours. Henry David off duty. Ships on and off Brava…Remarks on Board. Thursday Dec 28th at 1854…First part these 24 hours strong trades ship by the wind to E at 5PM. Saw a large lone whale going quick to wind ward. Lowered 3 boats without success at 6. Took up the boats. Middle and latter part ships by the wind to ESE. So ends these 24 hours…Lat by Obs 1 23 North Long by Chro 81 51 West…Remarks on Board. Wednesday June 12th 1855…First part these 24 hours strong breezes from NW ships by the wind to NNE at 12m. Saw sperm whales, lowered 3 boats and struck 4, lost one…and parted from 2, saved one at 4PM, took him alongside and got ready for cutting. At daylight cont. cutting at 9PM. Finished and made sail. So ends these 24 hours…Remarks on Board. Friday August 24th 1855…First part commenced the boat in chase at 4PM took the whale alongside and cut him in at 6. Finished and got supper. Middle and latter part by the wind to ESE. So ends these 24 hours…” The last entry reads: “Remarks on Board. Wednesday May 6th 1857…First part these 24 hours strong breezes and foggy steering N 1/2 W under topsail at 1PM. Sounded and got bottom in 40 fathoms. Hauled by the wind to SW at S and double reefed the topsail at 6PM. More ships to SE at cleaned up kept off a under short sail at 11. Have to sounded 35 fathoms at 2 kept off N and made all sail at 9AM. Made Montauk Point bearing N by compass at 1/2 11. Saw Black Island bearing NNE by compass and shape the course for Gay Head. Wind light and pleasant. So ends these 24 hours…” Logbook, measuring 10″ x 15″, is bound in its original half leather and marble boards with binding still tight and intact, though edges are worn. Interior pages are in very good condition with some light staining and soiling throughout. Handwriting is very neat, though somewhat light. Overall very good condition. Accompanied by full transcription which itself runs over 90 pages. Sold for $2,160.

Consign your Whaling Ship Logbook at Nate D. Sanders Auctions. Send a description and images of your Whaling Ship Logbook to us at [email protected].

1851-52 Whaling Ship Rare Book

Exceedingly rare 1851-52 whaling ship log. Handwritten journal from a trip aboard the New Bedford, Massachusetts-based whaling bark “Robert Morrison” on a voyage “toward the Arctic Region” with stops in the Caribbean, Cape Horn, and Hawaii. Fantastic rare book in manuscript form, apparently kept by the Ship’s Master Richard Norton, covers the period from 16 October 1851, when the Robert Morrison left New Bedford, to 5 May 1852, with the ship’s arrival at Oahu in the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii). Logbook includes daily reports of positions, weather, locales, sail and mast repair and maintenance, and events on board the ship, as well as the sighting and capture of whales, black fish, porpoises and sharks. Final log entry implies that Norton was leaving the ship at Oahu and signs off with “Your humble servant, R. Norton.” Coverless logbook, bound in a mid-20th century plain brown paper wrapper, measures approximately 8.25″ x 13.25″ and contains entries in 41 of its 48pp. Final two leaves include Account Pages with a partial listing of expenses incurred. Final leaf soiled and damaged, though internal pages show only small ink stains. Pencil and pen scribbling on a few pages, mostly in blank areas, otherwise very good. Fascinating glimpse into the mysterious and dangerous world of 19th century whaling. Sold for $1,960.

FREE ESTIMATE. To buy, auction, sell or consign your whaling ship logbook that is for sale, please email your description and photos to [email protected] of Nate D. Sanders Auctions (http://www.NateDSanders.com).

Please let us know if you have a whaling ship logbook for sale. Top dollar obtained for your whaling ship logbook.

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