The blue whale is the largest living animal in the world, measuring up to 100 feet long and 196 tons in weight! This gentle giant has a slate-blue skin and feeds exclusively on tiny krill, a shrimp-like animal. During the later 19th and early 20th centuries, the blue whale was hunted nearly to extinction by commercial whalers seeking to market the animal's valuable blubber. In the 1960's a worldwide ban on hunting the blue whale was put into effect. As a result, the blue whale population has increased to an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 individuals. However, the blue whale continues to be threatened by the effects of pollution, especially oil pollution, and experts are still not certain as to whether the current population will be enough to sustain the species and protect it from extinction.

This giant whale is bluer than the sea, and much, much bigger than the tiny porcelain sailboat tucked away inside.  Check out the blowhole on top!  The box is marked Artoria Peint Main, Limoges France and is signed and numbered by the artist.  It measures 1¾"h x 2½"w.