Whale's Tooth Stolen from North Charleston Home

When 75-year-old Nancy Schwartz saw an empty case where her antique whale's tooth had once rested, she gave out a yell. 

The $5,000 artifact that her father left her had vanished. 

The North Charleston woman reported its theft to Dorchester County deputies Nov. 3. According to the incident report, the item was stolen between Oct. 27 and Oct. 31. No subjects have been identified, however the woman did tell police a relative may possibly have taken the item.

Talking to Patch, she said her son likely took the tooth and used it in payment for drugs since many pawn shops may not take such a specialized item. She has not seen her son since the tooth has gone missing, and there was no indication of forced entry on the home, according to Schwartz.

The antique tooth was given to her father in the 1940s and was one of the few tokens she has from her parents. 

"The tooth, it had so many memories attached to it," Schwartz said.

Here's how she described the tooth:

"The artistry and the drawings on the teeth very intricate, this one had the whaling ship, a small row boat or a dory or a whale boat with a harpooner with his harpoon up facing a whale," Schwartz said. "It was really a work of art ... If you ever see one, you'll remember it."

Originally from Massachusetts, Schwartz said the whale's tooth is from the bygone era of whaling when men would be out to sea for years hunting whales, with a lot of idle time in between.