Explosive Projectile for Whale Killing 1840 - 1870

This "Explosive Projectile for Whale Killing" was made by Louis-François Devisme, most likely in the mid-19th century, using brass and possibly lead or iron. The smooth, machined surfaces and precise threading speak to industrial production, yet the object also has a handcrafted quality. The ridges and grooves must have been cut on a lathe, requiring skillful operation. The size and weight would have been crucial. It needed to be small and light enough to be fired, yet robust enough to penetrate a whale's blubber and withstand the force of an explosion. The object embodies a shift in whaling, from a traditional handcraft to industrialized hunting. It reflects not only the ingenuity of its maker, but the darker side of 19th-century capitalism, where technological innovation was put in service of resource extraction, with little regard for the environmental consequences. Considering this object, we see how even tools of destruction can be understood through the lens of material culture.