Kayak Model - Shetland Museum

Model boat made of sealskin on whitewood frame; paddles and bows are whalebone tipped and it is  Greenland Eskimo work.

Once the property of Captain Gravill, who commanded the Hull whaler " Diana" during the 1866 - 67 voyage to Davis Straits when the ship was frozen in and forced to winter in the Straits. The donor is a grand-niece of Captain Gravill. This model was wrongly reputedly made by a member of the Diana's crew, but it is certainly West Greenland work, identified by the bone parts to the paddles and kayak. It is very unusual in shape in that the bows are very highly curved. A large number of these kayaks were taken home by whalers as souvenirs, and of course many other Eskimo artefacts.

with acknowledgements to the Shetland Museum