A sail maker's whalebone seam rubber, English, mid 19th century,


carved and turned from a single piece of whale bone, 4 1/4in (11cm) long
|Seam rubbers were part of a sail maker's tool kit. They were used to smooth and flatten the seams of heavy canvas sailcloth, where two pieces were joined or the edges were hemmed before they were sewn. For similar seam rubber, see A Treasury of American Scrimshaw, McMannus (Michael), Penguin Studio, N.Y., p. 116.