Name/TitleDouble Flue Whaling Harpoon
About this objectThe two flue harpoon or two flue iron (which, together with the one flue harpoon, were known as common harpoons) is a type of harpoon used in whaling for at least 1000 years. In the early 19th century the design was modified, and the one flue harpoon was created. By removing half of the point, the chance of the point cutting its way back out of the whale was greatly reduced.
The two flue design was described by Frederic Marten, writing of a voyage in 1671 as follows:
"It is shaped like an arrow before: it hath two sharp beards, they are sharp at the edge, and have a broad back, like unto a hatchet that is sharp before and blunt behind, or on the back, so that it may not cut with its back, for else it would tear out, and all your labour would be lost".
British two flue harpoons (and other British irons) are seen with stop withers, or reverse barbs, sometimes called beards, at the flue tips. This addition appeared sometime in the mid-eighteenth century.
Double flue whaling harpoons are scarce, as the industry began using toggle irons almost exclusively after the mid 19th century.
MakerUnknown
Date MadeEarly 1800s
Period19th century
Medium and MaterialsIron
Object TypeGeneral Interest
Object numberSF001090
Copyright Licence
Attribution - Non-commercial - No Derivatives (cc)
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The mug is decorated with an underglaze and a blue transfer print. On the body, it is titled ‘Emigrants to Australia’. This type of body and glaze was discontinued by 1840. Comparison of the handle shape and the profile of the foot, point to the attribution of manufacture by the Davenport Factory.
Delta was a ship-rigged vessel with two decks and three masts. It was built in Dordrecht, Netherlands in 1839 at the shipyard of Jan Schouten and registered in the same port. Its hull was constructed of oak and sheathed in ‘yellow metal’. Delta was owned by H. van der Sande at the time of its loss and was engaged as a cargo trader.
The Delta carried 29 crew and passengers, while sailing from Melbourne to Batavia in ballast when wrecked at Kenn Reefs on 30 May 1854 whilst under the command of Captain J.G. Kunst. This vessel loss supports the pattern of shipwrecks located on a well-travelled shipping route that was poorly charted until the mid-nineteenth century. The crew of the Delta could see four other shipwrecks at Kenn Reefs at the time of their vessel’s loss.
Important image of a ship associated with Matthew Flinders, that would shortly become one of the most famous early shipwrecks in eastern Australian waters. This is a fine ship’s portrait, by one of the great exponents of the art