Harpoon Collection

Whaling Harpoon
A harpoon gun on the deck of the Norwegian whaling ship M. V. Rodny, at Ayr Harbour, Scotland

RACE FOR A WHALE. Wood engraving, American, after Isaiah West Taber, 1874

CARTOON: ALASKA PURCHASE, 1867. An American cartoon on the Alaska purchase showing Secretary of State William H. Seward and President Andrew Johnson welcoming the representatives of the new territory

Whaling
An engraving of men in small row boats surrounding a whale a spearing it with harpoons, circa 1820. (Photo by Kean Collection/Getty Images)

Upper Palaeolithic tools 18 - 30, 000 years old
L-R: a) Bone used to make needle blanks. b) Bone needle. c & d) Harpoon head and Barbed Point carved from antler. e & f) Two heads carved in mammoth ivory

Gilt wood statuette of Tutankhamun on a boat with a harpoon, from the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamun, discovered in the Valley of the Kings, Thebes, Egypt, North Africa, Africa

Eskimo Hunts a Narwhal
An Eskimo fisherman pursuing a narwhal

An engraving depicting the harpooning of a whale in the Arctic seas, 19th century
5310687 An engraving depicting the harpooning of a whale in the Arctic seas, 19th century; (add.info.: Date: 1896); Universal History Archive/UIG.

A Gaff, 1850
3330573 A Gaff, 1850; (add.info.: Engraving of a Gaff, a stick with a hook or barbed spear, for landing large fish. Dated 19th Century.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

South Sea Whale Fishery: 'Amelia Wilson' and 'Castor' off Buoro
530713 South Sea Whale Fishery: 'Amelia Wilson' and 'Castor' off Buoro. Aquatint after John Huggins published 1825. Factory ship at anchor while crew in boats harpoon Sperm Whales

Whalers harpooning a bowhead whale a, Balaena mysticetus, and cachelot or pot whale b, Physeter macrocephalus
FLO5000123 Whalers harpooning a bowhead whale a, Balaena mysticetus, and cachelot or pot whale b, Physeter macrocephalus; (add.info)

An engraving depicting a harpooned sperm whale off the coast of the West Indies, 19th century
5311024 An engraving depicting a harpooned sperm whale off the coast of the West Indies, 19th century; (add.info.: Date: 1896); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Fishermen using harpoons to catch swordfish on the coast of Sicily in the 19th century, from Album-Evenement
3506033 Fishermen using harpoons to catch swordfish on the coast of Sicily in the 19th century, from Album-Evenement, Prime du Journal L'Evenement, pub

An engraving depicting a harpooned whale 'sounding', 19th century
5311023 An engraving depicting a harpooned whale 'sounding', 19th century; (add.info.: Date: 1896); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Whales by an ice floe, 1830-1860. Creator: Albertus van Beest
Whales by an ice floe, 1830-1860. A whale spouts in the foreground as whalers approach with harpoons. In the background a three-masted sailing ship

Costume of Sailors in Arctic Regions, 1854. Creator: Unknown
Costume of Sailors in Arctic Regions, 1854. From "Cassell's Illustrated Family Paper; London Weekly 31 Dec 1853 to 30 Dec 1854"

Esquimaux, 1854. Creator: Unknown
Esquimaux, 1854. From "Cassell's Illustrated Family Paper; London Weekly 31 Dec 1853 to 30 Dec 1854"

The image shows some instruments in use in the fishing, exhibited at Naples Aquarium. A harpoon, ropes, nets and other accessories can be seen. Naples Aquarium. Date of Photograph:1920 - 1930

Fisherman at sunset, Oceania Australia / Oceania. Date of Photograph:1954

An Aborigine and his fishing harpoon on the shore of the Arafura Sea, Arnhem Land, Australia Australia / Oceania Arnhem Land. Date of Photograph:1969

Geometrical instruments and fishing tools found in Pompeii. National Archaeological Museum in Naples. Naples National Archaeological Museum Roman Art, Europe, Ancient Civilization

Fighting bulls with a cape and spear, drawing by Goya, in the Prado Museum in Madrid Spain Madrid, Prado Museum Drawing Romanticism, Nineteenth century, 19th century, Europe

Petrel whale catcher. Grytviken Whaling Station, open to visitors, but most walls and roofs of the factory have been demolished for safety reasons. South Georgia Island

Bone Harpoons for fishing, Dordogne region, France, Paleolithic Period, (c20th century). The Paleolithic age is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most

Ready for the throw-Nunivak, c1929. Creator: Edward Sheriff Curtis
Ready for the throw-Nunivak, c1929. Eskimo man seated in a kayak prepares to throw spear

HMS Montrose off Taranto, Italy showing her weapon systems
Pictured is the foc sle of HMS Montrose in convoy with other warships in the Mediterranean Sea off Taranto, Italy. Some of the weapon systems of the Type 23 Duke class frigate can be clearly seen

HMS Argus 149
Royal Navy - HMS Argus 149, an aircraft carrier, seen in March 1939. Argus served from 1918 to 1944. After commissioning, the ship was involved for several years in the development of the optimum

Manati Hunting, Lake Nicaragua, 1867 (w/c on paper)
MGS172113 Manati Hunting, Lake Nicaragua, 1867 (w/c on paper) by Deiezmann, F. (fl. 19th century); 23.8x28.3 cm; Private Collection; (add.info)

Whaling off the Cape of Good Hope (colour litho)
1547360 Whaling off the Cape of Good Hope (colour litho) by Lebreton, Louis (1818-66) (after); Private Collection

Gigantic "Cuttle-fish"hooked by the French Steamer "Alecton"in the coast off Tenerife in 1861
473212 Gigantic " Cuttle-fish" hooked by the French Steamer " Alecton" in the coast off Tenerife in 1861, 1881 (litho) by British School

The Dutch Whaling Fleet, 1690 / 1700. Creator: Abraham Storck
The Dutch Whaling Fleet, 1690/1700. Sailors harpooning whales and attacking polar bears

The Whaler - Clayoquot, 1915. Creator: Edward Sheriff Curtis
The Whaler - Clayoquot, 1915. [Native American man from the west coast of Canada]. Photogravure, plate 394 from " The North American Indian, volume 11" (1916)

Watson and the Shark, 1778 (oil on canvas)
3700784 Watson and the Shark, 1778 (oil on canvas) by Copley, John Singleton (1738-1815); 182.1x229.7 cm; National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, USA; (add.info.: In 1749)

Steamers as Whalers, 1890s (engraving)
1147289 Steamers as Whalers, 1890s (engraving) by Unknown Artist, (19th century); Private Collection; Peter Newark Pictures; out of copyright

Fishing net and harpoon (chromolitho)
977674 Fishing net and harpoon (chromolitho) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Fishing net and harpoon)

Harpooning a whale from a steamer (engraving)
669459 Harpooning a whale from a steamer (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Harpooning a whale from a steamer)

Catching a whale off Deptford Pier: the whale (engraving)
2775873 Catching a whale off Deptford Pier: the whale (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Catching a whale off Deptford Pier)

La Peche dans l ocean glacial, Le lancement du harpon (engraving)
2788017 La Peche dans l ocean glacial, Le lancement du harpon (engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: La Peche dans l ocean glacial, Le lancement du harpon)

The Living Bait (Colour Litho)
2778512 The Living Bait (Colour Litho) by Beltrame, Achille (1871-1945); Private Collection; (add.info.: The living bait. The islanders of Kishm, in the Persian Gulf)

Whalers Harpooning a Sperm Whale Off New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1910 (screen print)
2630131 Whalers Harpooning a Sperm Whale Off New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1910 (screen print) by American School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Historical views of Poland. Polish men in the city of Cracow 55, Peter the Wild Boy found in a forest near Hamelin 56, and the inflammable springs near Cracow 57

Whaling implements, 2nd half of 18th century (colour engraving)
CHT163005 Whaling implements, 2nd half of 18th century (colour engraving) by French School, (18th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Whalers harpooning whales in the North Sea 4, sailors walking on ice fields in the Arctic 5
6338024 Whalers harpooning whales in the North Sea 4, sailors walking on ice fields in the Arctic 5, and view of Hekla volcano and geyser in Iceland 6 by English School

Native Buryats from the Buryat Republic, Russia, from
KW403232 Native Buryats from the Buryat Republic, Russia, from From Paris to Pekin over Siberian Snows by Victor Meignan, engraved by Smeeton-Tilly (Burne Smeeton (fl.1840-60)

Catching a Tartar (colour litho)
668703 Catching a Tartar (colour litho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Catching a Tartar.); © Look and Learn

The Harpooner, from the Tomb of Tutankhamun (c. 1370-1352 BC
BAL3977 The Harpooner, from the Tomb of Tutankhamun (c.1370-1352 BC) New Kingdom (bronze & gilded wood) by Egyptian 18th Dynasty (c.1567-1320 BC); Egyptian National Museum, Cairo, Egypt; Egyptian

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"Harpoon: A Weapon of the Whaling Era to Modern Aviation Marvel" From the Upper Palaeolithic tools used by our ancestors over 18, 000 years ago to the iconic wood engraving capturing a thrilling "Race for a Whale" in 1874, the harpoon has left an indelible mark on human history. This versatile tool has evolved from its humble beginnings as a means of survival for Eskimos hunting narwhals to becoming an integral part of whaling expeditions during the 19th century. The sheer power and danger involved in whaling are vividly depicted in line engravings showcasing brave sailors being dragged across treacherous waters by harpooned whales – a phenomenon known as the Nantucket sleigh ride. These images serve as reminders of both man's triumphs and his relentless pursuit of nature's giants. Beyond its association with maritime pursuits, the harpoon found new applications even beyond Earth's atmosphere. The Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon aircraft became synonymous with aerial warfare during World War II and beyond. With their sleek design and deadly accuracy, these warplanes revolutionized combat tactics. Intriguingly, this weapon also played a role in political cartoons like "Alaska Purchase, " symbolizing America's acquisition of this vast territory in 1867. It serves as a reminder that sometimes diplomacy can be just as sharp-edged as any physical weapon. Today, while technological advancements have rendered traditional whaling obsolete due to conservation efforts, we still find remnants of this historic tool preserved in museums worldwide. The legacy lives on through artifacts such as whalebone carvings or meticulously crafted replicas that allow us to appreciate our past while acknowledging our responsibility towards protecting marine life. Whether it is etched into ancient stone or emblazoned on modern aircraft wings, the harpoon continues to captivate us with its tales of adventure and innovation throughout time.