Capturing a Whale

“View of harpooner ironing a Sperm Whale. From The Capture a lithograph made in 1862 by Endicott & R. S. Gifford, corrected by Benjamin Russell.” What sort of corrections could have been required? Did the Giffords read Moby Dick and think all whales were white? Did they draw Captain Ahab’s leg in there somewhere?

This Plastichrome postcard, probably produced in the late 1970s or early ’80s, describes itself as “Classic Whaling Series #1”. I can’t help but wonder if there was ever a second card in the series. What’s neat about this postcard is that it came to me just the other day from a Postcrosser, who found it in an old bookstore.

Another tidbit from the card says that it was produced from the lithograph owned by The Book and Tackle Shop, and was in fact distributed by them as well. The Book and Tackle Shop was established in 1953, and still conducts business from Watch Hill, Rhode Island.