Narwhal tusk

This horn is a "tusk" or "tooth" from a narwhal, a marine mammal that lives in the Arctic Ocean. It is likely to be the one described in the treasury inventories of the Abbey of Saint-Denis from 1505. 

In the Middle Ages, a narwhal's tusk was admired for its rare and precious material: ivory. However, this object is also appreciated for the legend that goes with it. Known examples were believed to be unicorn horns. This legend has given the narwhal the nickname "unicorn of the seas".

In a similar way, magical virtues are attributed to it in connection with the extraordinary nature of the unicorn. Unicorn horn would purify water and have prophylactic properties (to prevent diseases). 

In this regard, these objects, found washed up on beaches by North Sea traders, were highly sought after. It could be used whole as an antidote or ground into a powder, for example, to sprinkle on food.  They were then highly sought after by the rich collectors of the 16th and 17th centuries who loved unusual pieces. 

The narwhal tusk preserved at the Musée de Cluny has its own legend. In the 17th century, the monks of Saint-Denis claimed that this tusk had been given to Charlemagne by the caliph Harun Al Rashid and that its tip produced bubbles when immersed in water.

This object was not crafted, but its base was set in a silver mounting.