The bookends are made of cast iron decorated with gold paint, shaped like sailboats, with felt at the base.

The object reflects a social and cultural development attributable to the Acadian Renaissance (1867–1960), a phenomenon of self-appropriation of Acadian culture by its heirs, engendering a sense of Acadian belonging. In addition, this object refers to the literary development of Acadians and the accessibility of books in Gaspé households.

The owner of these objects is unknown.

The Acadian Renaissance was a phenomenon concentrated between 1850 and 1881—sometimes considered to have lasted from 1867 to 1960—associated with a collective awareness of Acadian identity. Two literary works were particularly important in this movement: the poem Evangeline, published by American author Henry Longfellow in 1847, and Rameau de Saint-Père's La France aux colonies: Acadiens et Canadiens, the first of whose two parts deals with the history of the Acadians. Finally, the publication of the first Acadian newspaper, Le Moniteur Acadien, was also one of the highlights of this renaissance. In general, this period saw a significant boom in the literary and scientific arts, education, political life, and new economic sectors such as tourism. In the development of these areas, Acadian pride and a sense of belonging were valued and promoted.