Antique American Improved Toggle Iron Harpoon, circa 1850s

Antique American Improved Toggle Iron Harpoon, circa 1850s, having a 7-1/4 inch long toggle head with acute barbed cutting edge and up-swept rear barb, pivoting on flatted boss, on 3/8 inch diameter shank ending in socket with open seam. The socket bears stamped initials that are effectively illegible under the patina: possibly an S, followed by a P, R or B, followed by a vertical stroke that could be part of many different letters. The initials could be the mark of Samuel B. Folger (Nantucket:1795 – 1864) but he appeared to be most active in the 1830s, decades before the toggle iron was invented in 1848.

The harpoon is in excellent condition with minimal pitting on socket (where whipped marline would have held moisture during its working life), uniform dark brown patina, ever so slight signs of use along the shank, and the head retaining surprising sharpness to the cutting edge. This was an excellent, very well made harpoon. If the initials could be verified it would be an extremely valuable prize indeed.

Measures: 32 1/4 in Long