H4533.1

Whale baleen From the History Information Station: Object: Piece of baleen, also known as whalebone, and corset stays made from baleen. History: Most true whales (Cetacea) are in the suborder Mysticeti, the whalebone or baleen whales. These whales feed on small animals, called plankton, which they filter from the sea by means of rows of baleen plates hanging from their upper jaw. The plates are made of keratin, the same substance found in hair and nails. Depending on its size there may be 150 to 400 plates on each side of a whale's mouth. Before the development of plastics and various types of steel, baleen was used wherever resilience and flexibility were important. Stays--thin slats used to stiffen women's corsets--were commercially produced from baleen. They were also produced by the thousands by homesick and lovelorn sailors aboard whaling ships for their wives and sweethearts. Additional from the History Innformation Station: The northern right whale (Eudalaena glacialis) was the most sought after whale along the Pacific Coast of North America. It was slow moving, non- belligerent and easily caught. From it blubber came oil used as fuel in lamps. From its long straight baleen, 19th century manufacturers made corset stays and hoops for crinoline skirts, umbrella ribs, knitting needles and springs used in chairs. Whale products continued to be used well into the 20th century. From the baleen came elastic fiber, shoehorns, ash trays and fishing rods. From the vertebrae and blubber came oil, glycerin, antifreeze, glue, medicines, cos- metics and many other items both useful and frivolous. The last whaling station in California was at Pt. Richmond. It was shut down in 1971 when whales came under the protection of the Endangered Species Act. In 1972 the Federal government passed the Marine Mammal Proteaction ACt. The act made it illegal to "harass, hunt, capture or kill" any marine mammal. It also banned the importation of marine mammals and marine mammal products, including scrimshaw.