A REMARKABLE piece of Dundee’s whaling heritage is being sold at auction in Perth.

The narwhal tusk has direct links to the adventurous industry which shaped the city’s history.

“The vendor’s grand- father ran whaling ships out of Dundee in the latter part of the 19th century,” said Nick Burns of auctioneers Lindsay Burns and Company.

“The tusk is particularly large and in very good condition.”

Standing over two metres tall, the tusk’s value is estimated at £2000-3000.

The tapered spiral tusks have always been highly prized and in the medieval period people believed them to be the horns from the legendary unicorn.

In Dundee the whaling fleet sailed for the Arctic in January, not returning home until the autumn with their precious cargo.

The whale oil was highly prized by another important sector of the Dundee economy—the jute industry.

The tusk is included among over 600 lots up for sale at the King Street auction house on Tuesday.

Other notable lots in the sale include a Battle of Waterloo medal awarded to Captain David Craig of the 1st Battalion, 4th Regiment Foot, which should make between £800 and £1200.

Two miniature paintings of Captain Craig and another pair of his brother, Colonel Thomas Craig, should sell for between £200 and £500 each. A jacket belong to Colonel Craig should fetch £500 to £800.

Another highlight is a 19th century Italian micromosaic plaque inlaid with a wild boar being attacked by three hounds.

An expensive item when it was made, the plaque is expected to sell for £2000 to £3000.

The auction can be viewed today from 9am to 2pm, tomorrow 1-3pm and 9am to 5pm on Monday or at www.lburns.co.uk.