A mackerel plow is an fascinating tool whose sole function is was clever bit of marketing chicanery, and is certifiably endemic to New England. Aboard New England’s mackerel schooners of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when the fish were caught at the beginning of the season, they were lean, tough, and worth little. These fish were sometimes called “leatherbellies.” Mackerel were a vital catch, but their value fluctuated widely. Such low value fish were often caught in seines in spring and early summer. But some clever fishermen discovered that if a skinny, tough mackerel was split down the backbone with a knife, they could make several smaller parallel slashes with a mackerel plow, and the dead fish would swell up, look fatter, and command a higher price. The act of “plowing” a mackerel walked a fine line between an honest market presentation and outright deception.

But the utilitarian nature of the plow did not preclude some creative artistry. Fishermen typically had their own mackerel plows, which varied widely in size and shape. Most were made of wood, often decorated with carvings and inlays of metals such as lead or pewter. They could be adorned with chip carvings, fashioned in the shape of mermaids, women’s legs and other embellishments.

The mackerel plow is clearly a relic of a bygone era. But they retain their relevancy as traditional works of maritime art. If you have decorative or even strictly utilitarian tools of the maritime trades, or any other such folk art implements that you’d like to learn more about, give us a try by clicking on the link below.

www.siscoantiquesappraisals.com.

This mackerel plow was embellished with an eagle’s head on the point above the blade, and lots of chip carved vines, with a pewter ferrule, making it worth $403 at auction.