Moe as in Moby Dick

Before leaving Nantucket someone bet me $10 that I wouldn't finish and hang the whale before I left. That was all the push I needed. I've been working on the whale the last year and a half. Here he is hanging in our cottage. He's pretty hefty and 44" in length. He has real ivory teeth carved by Nancy Chase. The timber, used to carve the whale, is several centuries old and came from the Nantucket United Methodist Church. It's an original timber from when the church was built in 1823. In the mid-1980's the church basement was renovated and to accommodate an exterior door the timber was cut out. It had been kicking around Nancy's house until I discovered it. Nancy started the whale many years ago so with her help I finished it.


We had a party to celebrate. The night before the party I had someone help me hang him and I covered him up with a sheet. The night of the party we had a whale naming contest. Everyone submitted their choice of a name. The names were then read aloud. Next everyone voted for a name but they couldn't vote for their own name. In the end Moe won by 2 votes and then we had an unveiling. I love him and I can see him from just about any room in the house.

I also made this basket. It has a rosewood bottom and ebony top. It can be used as a ladies sewing box, jewelry box, or just as an art piece. The bird on top was carved from an antique whale tooth.