Caulk
Object number99.83.38 a-c
MediumHemp or jute fiber; Tar or tar derivative
Credit LineGift of Charles and Grace Duke
DescriptionFiber impregnated with tar or tar derivative.Historical NotesCaulking fiber is used on seams, gaps, or spaces between planking in boat hulls. The material swells when wet making a tighter seal.Label TextThe Duke family used these tools in their Elizabeth, Pa., boat building business. More than 250 of the 300 steamboats working the western rivers by 1836 were built in Pittsburgh, Brownsville, or Elizabeth.On View
On view
c. 1920
c. 1875
Sirchie
c. 1888