In life, John F. Kennedy was a collector of scrimshaw, which are ornate ivory carvings made from whalebone, and he kept a number of his pieces on display in the Oval Office while he served as president (per Smithsonian Magazine). One of his favorite pieces in this collection was a 9 1/2-inch-long whale tooth that was engraved with the presidential seal. This work of art, carved by scrimshaw artist Milton Delano, was a gift for Kennedy that was commissioned by his wife, Jaqueline. She gave it to him on Christmas, in 1962.
His family placed this work inside his coffin before Kennedy was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. Letters from his wife and young children accompanied Kennedy’s whale tooth into his grave. In addition, a pair of gold cufflinks were added, and Kennedy’s surviving brother, Robert, put in a silver rosary, along with a PT-109 tie clip.
Considering the life he led and the various passions he held, many feel that the items Kennedy was buried with made for a great tribute to a man and a leader who was widely loved and admired.
