Nantucket House Antiques and Interior Design Studios, Inc. Nautical Objects

Very Rare 1925 United States Navy Sailor's Whimsical Certificate for "The Domaine Neptunes Rex" admitting sailor Allen Smith as a "Shellback" aboard the USS RELIEF. Sailors from man...

19th Century Carved and Painted Ship's Billethead, second half 19th Century, a scroll carved and painted wooden ornament from the bow of a ship. A billethead was a smaller carving used in place of a figurehead, mounted under the bowsprit of a ship. As the 19th Century progressed and the age of clipper ships saw a move towards ever more extreme clipper bows, there was a need to eliminate unnecessary weight aboard ship, especially in the bow (to avoid burying the nose into every wave), so billet heads...

Antique American Darting Gun Toggle Iron Harpoon, made by E.B. and F. Macy, New Bedford, for the Larboard Boat on the Whaling Bark Sunbeam (1856 - 1908), having an improved toggle head with acute barb (standing nearly at a right angle), and an unusual ridged cheek, with the maker's mark MACY stamped on the right cheek (the mark of E.B. & F. Macy, blacksmiths of New Bedford: 1861-1904), the ship stamp BK SB on the left cheek (for the Bark Sunbeam, and the dot punched boat mark L B (for the Larboard, or Second, or Port-side Stern whale boat); mounted on a round shank slightly kinked from use, ending in the spike end necessary for use with a darting gun, and the loop for splicing on the iron strap. An amazing artifact retaining a tremendous amount of historical documentation. The harpoon remain in very good condition with a still very sharp cutting edge and deep brown patina and no corrosion. The head is frozen, but in the absence of rust it would very likely free up with a little lubrication if so desired. The tip of the front barb has a small chip off tip. The slight kink to the shank comes from use and is considered by most to be a a good feature. The Bark SUNBEAM was built in Mattapoisett in 1856 and enjoyed a long career in the New Bedford whale fishery of 17 voyages to the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Clifford Ashley...

Seascape with Clippership by George Howell Gay (American: 1858 - 1931), circa 1890, an oil on canvas bow view of a clippership under full sail, running with stun'sls and skysails set, on lively sea under blue cloudy sky, with a second square-rigger visible in the background, signed in the lower right, and titled on the reverse "Clipper Ship Before the Wind." A beautiful and dramatic painting with a cool, brisk feel. The painting is in fine condition, with one small patch along the upper margin and a tiny spot of corresponding inpainting. Measures:24 in H x 20 in W Framed: 29 in H x 25 in W George Howell Gay was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and educated in Chicago under Paul Brown and Henry Elkins, and in 1889 moved to Bronxville, New York. He worked in all media, but was especially fond of watercolor, which allowed him to capture the transparency of the ocean and the luminous qualities of sunlight and clouds. Gay worked along the Northeastern coast from Rhode Island to Maine, but also painted summer and winter landscapes throughout New England. Gay’s seascapes were exhibited at the Boston Art...

19th Century China Trade Seascape with a Junk, by Lee Heng, circa 1870, an oil on board seascape with large Chinese Junk under full sail in the fo...

Early Vintage Seascape with Portrait of a Schooner-Rigged Yacht, signed and dated Carl Schroeder, 1937, an un-tutored oil on canvas seascape painting with a port side view of a large schooner rigged racing yacht with all canvas aloft including topsails and staysails, smartly uniformed crew, captain and first mate visible on deck, a lookout posted on the foremast crosstrees, a burgee, pennant and flag flying on the fore and main peaks, with a one design class designation A-1 on the mainsail; a low-lying spit of land with red and white cottages is visible near in background beyond the bowsprit; signed and dated Carl Schroeder, 1937 in the lower right. The painting is in near excellent condition, with only a stretcher line visible down the left side and one small pin hole on the right side. The painting is mounted in a contemporary carved an gilded frame. The artist has not been identified, but the style and subject is consistent with either the American or Danish schools. The 1930s was a golden age decade for the J-Boats and other great ocean racing yachts. The A class designation suggests very large...

19th Century China Trade Pair of Portraits of Sea Captain and Wife, circa 1850s, matched pair of Chinese Export oil on canvas full length portraits of a Sea Captain and his wife, painted on commission in Hong Kong or a related China Trade port. The captain wears a double breasted wool greatcoat over a high collar white shirt with bow tie, black waistcoat...

19th Century Seascape with a Brig in High Seas, signed illegibly and dated 1857, an oil on canvas painting featuring a Brig laboring in heavy sea...

Antique grand banks dory fishermen seascape by Joseph A. Woods, circa 1910, an impressionist oil on panel seascape with two fishermen in dory in the foreground hauling back on their ...

19th Century Presentation Half Hull Model of a Whale Ship, circa 1850, a large plank on frame model of a bluff-bowed and wide abeam whale ship. The model wa...

Antique steel and brass quadrant, first half of the 20th century, made in London for the U.S. Navy, in very good condition with lenses, shades and scale. The essential mariner's navi...

Antique American Marconi-rigged sloop Pond model with planked deck, double spreaders and full running rigging.