1860s Nautical Objects

Scrimshaw of an engraved whale tooth dated 1861, depicting on one side large sailboat with sails unfurled of excellent workmanship and underneath the name SHIP NOLAN. On the back, a ...

This large and historically interesting inkwell, or standish, is carved from timber recovered from the wreck of H.M.S. Lutine. It has a central inkwell, with a bud and oakleaf cover...

This reverse glass painting shows the silhouettes of three British naval ships of the line within a ropework border, their outlines inside the glass casting shadows on the cream grou...

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...

Absolutely rare and beautiful ships binnacle by Sir William Thomson of Glasgow. With a substantial varnished base. Polished and lacquered mushroom style hood and compass cowl. Very rare dry card compass...

A Royal Naval ship’s elm companionway board, of rectangular form with an arched top and two sturdy brass rings, naively carved with a crowned coat of arms flanked by a lion and unicorn...

Telescope topographic level of brass, it is an instrument consisting of a telescope fixed parallel to the level, three-spoke base with adjustment screws. English manufacture from the...

Lignum Vitae mast head truck or "top" from the famous Schooner yacht "Dauntless". The imbedded brass pulleys are used to feed lines to raise pennants and signals. Dauntless was built...

A Lugger lifeboat model by Twyman for the International Exhibition, London 1862. The planked and pinned hull of this lifeboat has a lead keel, bilge keels, a wooden rudder with a yoke, gesso-coated canvas wales and a grab line. It is fitted internally with a forward compartment enclosing a stove and glazed deck lights, seats, covered hatches with copper strapping, a bilge pump with a handle, mast securing points, a metal anchor with a buoy and other details, together with a quantity of furled masts and rigging, a silk flag, and other accessories. The bow has ‘Sunbeam/Friend of all Nations’ and the stern has ‘Ramsgate’, painted in gold on a black ground. English, 1862. Provenance: H. Twyman (designer/modeller) thence by descent Exhibited: International Exhibition, London 1862, Vol. 2, object no. 2760 The 1862 International Exhibition in London hosted a fine array of exhibits from 28,000 exhibitors, and enjoyed a footfall of 6.1 million (about the same as that of the 1851 Great Exhibition...

Rare boat binnacle with solid brass mushroom style hood. Mid nineteenth century gimballed compass by Ritchie of Boston. Varnished mahogany base with...

A rare scrimshaw decorated horn, engraved over one side with the Royal Arms countersigned and titled ship profiles for the Great Eastern, the Great Britain,...

Scrimshaw di un dente di balena inciso, raffigurante veliero a tre alberi barca a remi con 5 balenieri e piccola isola con palme, rocce e una capanna. Sul retro all’interno di un ca...

Scrimshaw di un dente di balena inciso verticalmente datato 1868 raffigurante un faro in primo piano con scogli e veliero , altezza cm 10 – inches 3.95. Sul retro doppia bandiera a s...

Quintante in ottone firmato Whyle Thomson & C. Galsogw, strumento di pregevole manifattura, databile attorno alla metà del XIX secolo. Lo strumento è completo di ottiche e alloggiat...

Brass log in the shape of a harpoon, signed T. Walker’s Patent Harpoon Ship Log A 1 London, from the second half of the 19th century. It is an ancient nautical instrument, very rare and with a characteristic shape, which measured the distance and speed of a ship. He was thrown overboard and dragged behind the ship itself; rotating thanks to its propeller, it transmitted the number of revolutions made on itself to the three dials made on an enameled metal plate placed in the center of the log; the quadrants reported measurements in miles from 0 to 100 in tens, from 0 to 10 in units, from 0 to 1 in quarters. The data was then read every hour to also derive the speed. In good condition, fully functional and mounted on a custom-made brass wooden base. Length 50 cm – 19.7 inches, propeller width 14 cm - 5.5 inches, log body diameter 4,5 cm - 1.7 inches. Shipping is insured by Lloyd's London; our gift box is free. In the past centuries the attempt to measure the speed of the ships was especially hindered by the lack of tools for the measurement of time of sufficient precision: throwing a piece of wood into the sea from the bow of a ship and measuring the time it took to get at the stern, it was possible to obtain some information on the speed of the ship, but with many errors and inaccuracies. The principle of mechanical patent log was shown to the Royal Society in 1699 by Robert Hooke, but the first model produced for commercial use was patented just in 1802 by Edward Massey, uncle of Thomas Walker, that succeeded him in business. Thomas Walker patented his first Walker log...