Has anyone out there worked with baleen before? Are there any refernces I can use? I will be using it for wrapping knife handles and scrimshaw.
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I questioned that while in Alaska the past few weeks. Yes it is legal for others than natives to own. Prices were from $350 usd to $65.00 usd depending on where you were shopping. At an Atabaskin indian village 40 miles north of the Artic Circle it was even cheaper nut lacked finishing. Since it has suck a hard finish when dry, it can be sanded and polished with plastic buffing compounds and a flannal wheel on a buffer.
Baleen is from krill eating Whales, these are the cartlidge type attachments that hold the fine hairs that trap, shrimp, krill, herring and other small fishes. Most Baleen whales have throats so small that a 8 to 10 pound salmon could choke it. If you will notice as with killer whales (orce) they have teeth and no baleen, this allows then to eat larger fish and mammals.
It must be accompanied with Paper work from the Native Village that harvested the whale. It is sold in many gift shops openly. The regulations also petain to Walrus skulls with tusk, Seal claws etc. These must be the bi-product of harvest for sustainment of the village.
It also must be worked products. You may not sell/purchase raw ivory or other by products from the subsistance kills. This includes Native villagers.
You can buy it from Alaska Fur Exchange - www.alaskafurexchange.com Nice people there and lots of native stuff. I always stop in when I'm in Anchorage.
Bud