Over at Collectors Weekly, Lisa Hix unbuttons the history of the scrimshaw busks, intricately carved whalebones that 19th century sailors would give their lovers to wear in their corsets as a reminder of their men at sea. From Collectors Weekly:
Scrimshaw busks would be engraved with all sorts of symbolic images: A palm frond might indicate a place the whaleman had sailed to, while a North Star would assure the woman that her man would be guided home. Wheat stalks stood for abundance, houses meant security and comfort, and a church indicated plans for marriage. All of these hopes and dreams would be pressing into her torso throughout the day.
"From Whale Jaws to Corsets: How Sailors' Love Tokens Got Into Women's Underwear"
