This tiny figure representing the sea wolf with his prey was probably made by Isaac Chapman around the turn of the century. The mythical sea wolf holding a whale in its jaws and another in its tail is a subject frequently seen in argillite. (Holm, Crooked Beak of Heaven, 1972)

Another popular subject for the argillite sculptor of the 1840s was the individual figure of the sea captain. These are essentially portraits, but they have the qualities of caricature. This jaunty seaman is an excellent example. (Holm, Crooked Beak of Heaven, 1972)