Harpoon replica

A harpoon is a long spear like instrument used in fishing and sealing but more famously associated with hunting whales. Originally a hand thrown spear, the first use of an explosive gun in the hunting of whales was made by the British South Sea company in 1737.  These early harpoon guns were difficult and dangerous to use.

The modern harpoon cannons were developed in the late 19^th century. An explosive cannon was fitted onto the bow of a whale catcher where it could be easily aimed with a wide field of view. It would have been loaded with a large steel harpoon or later a grenade. An explosive charge would send the projectile towards its quarry and attached with a thick rope that would then be used to haul the whale back.

The cannon was developed to improve the hit rate of the hand-thrown harpoon. Early cannons were not very accurate, and the whale’s death would have been slow. Modern cannons were improved in the 20^th century to be quicker and more accurate so that the whale could be killed instantly. Harpoons were modified to be replaced by explosive grenades. 50mm Kongsberg cannons are still used today in Iceland to catch minke whales.

This object is particularly special, as it showcases the intricacies of the harpoon and grenade that would have been attached. In comparison to those used for the hunting of whales, this object is much easier to view. It highlights the skill level of engineers working on the island that they would be able to manufacture an object which is so small, but with such perfection. Whalers would often do various crafts to occupy themselves while away. Some chose to carve Sperm whale teeth or whale eardrums (bullae). Others made intricate designs by taking nylon rope apart, dying it and reworking it. And some used metal to recreate the objects that they were in contact with daily.