A RARE early 19th century ANTIQUE Whalebone mounted BATTLE RATTLE

Used onboard ships to sound alarms and to summon boarders. Provenance: The Ernest Gates Collection. Mr. Gates was the Curator of the whaling collection at the JIBBOOM Club in New london, CT., in the 1940's and 1950's. The club was originally formed in the 1870's as a social club for whaling captains. It was disbanded in 1959. Much of Mr. Gate's collection is now at the MYSTIC SEAPORRT MUSEUM.