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Sea Chest, recovered from the Essex 1820 - $5,000 (Nantucket)
condition:
good
make / manufacturer:
Unknown
model name / number:
canted front
size / dimensions:
54" long x 20" height
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I should mention the Bond family lived in Dedham. One of their relatives perished with other Essex crew. He was one of four skeletons found in Essex whaler boat. My father sold the Bond descendant his 1941 Willy's in 1961. Also William Gould,an escaped slave who married a woman named Read from Nantucket in 1865 were my grandparents neighbor next door on Milton st,Dedham for 30 years,from 1927-1957. We are amazed how well this chest was constructed and repaired. Doesn't appear a knot is visible in these giant pine boards. It was made in the late 1700's. It was painted or stained we guess but the ocean and equatorial sun bleached it out. It was towed in the ocean to cleanse it. Again,it was put away with its detached split lid and the lower left corner was damaged in the collision. You can see Dr Sewell's repair in the photo. My parents who bought property beside Doctor Sewell gave it to my folks in 1959. He died in 1965 at his Dedham log cabin on Weld Pond. Dorothy Watson from Milton who was a physician widow and companion of Dr Sewell did a write up on the chest at her Brewster Cottage back around 1970 that I'm trying to locate. Yes it seemed to be bad Mojo to talk about the cannibalism of Essex survivors on Nantucket. These crews were together for up to 3 years on whalers. A repeat was always on their minds.