Items Similar to 19th Century American Carved and Decorated Ship's Figurehead, circa 1880

English Country Style '19th Century' Carved and Painted Figurehead

Original Nautical Mast figurehead

19th Century Carved Ship Figurehead Oak Wood Female Figure Antique Maritime

Antique Carved and Decorated Ship's Figurehead

American Gilt Carved Wood and Poly Chromed Roman Guard Figurehead, Circa 1890

19th Century Ship’s Figural Transom Carving

Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 9

19th Century American Carved and Decorated Ship's Figurehead, circa 1880

$34,000

£25,392.66

€29,464.41

CA$47,090.24

A$52,787.78

CHF 27,527.63

MX$647,049.35

NOK 348,821.32

SEK 331,635.41

DKK 219,842.62

Shipping

Retrieving quote...

The 1stDibs Promise:

Authenticity Guarantee,

Money-Back Guarantee,

24-Hour Cancellation

About the Item

19th Century American Carved and Decorated Ship's Figurehead, circa 1880, in the form of an elegant young lady, with lovely features and beautifully carved hair pulled back in a bun, wearing an aquamarine dress with lace collar, corseted waist, deep draping pleats and no doubt a small bustle. The figure was carved integral with thick backboard and has all the classically American ship=carving traits of a lifelike portrayal and dramatic, animated pose that so excited the world's attention. She remains in remarkably good condition for having wrecked and washed up on an Atlantic beach. She has obviously lost an arm that had been carved in a separate piece and posed raised and extended out precariously from the body. One small area on the lower dress has been professionally restored where the paint had gouged down to primer. 45 in H x 13 in W x 14 in Deep Early figureheads from around the world had traditionally been carved in a static, stylized manner reminiscent of ancient Greek statuary, with little detail or personality. American ship carvers in the late 18th Century began carving their figureheads as accurate portrayals of real people, either celebrities of the day or closer to home such as ship owner's wives and daughters. When the first American ship, a Nantucket whaler, traveled up the Thames to London after the Revolutionary War, great excitement and word spread well ahead of the ship's arrival. The sailors assumed the stir was caused by the first sight of the Stars and Stripes... they later learned the fanfare was actually over their novel figurehead, the likes of which had never before been seen.

Dimensions:
Height: 45 in (114.3 cm)Width: 13 in (33.02 cm)Depth: 14 in (35.56 cm)
Style:
Folk Art (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Pine,Hand-Carved,Hand-Painted
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
1880-1889
Date of Manufacture:
Circa 1880
Condition:
Repaired: A small area on the lower dress where the paint had been gouged down to the primer has been professionally restored. Wear consistent with age and use. Minor structural damages.
Seller Location:
Nantucket, MA
Reference Number:
Seller: AD - 292-02 ERAO1stDibs: LU903942635212

More From This Seller

View All

19th Century Ship’s Figural Transom Carving

Located in Nantucket, MA

Very Scarce Ship’s Figural Transom Carving, Early to Mid 19th Century, a hand carved and hand painted figural plaque of an elegant woman in blue dress with...

Category

Antique Early 19th Century American Folk Art Nautical Objects

Materials

Wood

19th Century Ship’s Figural Transom Carving

$7,800

18th Century Carved and Decorated Figure of an Archangel, circa 1780

Located in Nantucket, MA

18th Century Carved and Decorated Figure of an Archangel, circa 1780, a splendid hand carved and polychromed kneeling male figure with long wavy brown hair pulled back, dressed in a...

Category

Antique 18th Century European Rococo Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

18th Century Carved and Decorated Figure of an Archangel, circa 1780

$5,400

18th Century French or Italian Santo Nativity Figure

Located in Nantucket, MA

18th century French or Italian Santo Nativity Figure, a hand carved and painted fruitwood figure for a Christmas Crèche or Krippe. Excellent and delicate details to the head and hands. The half figure stands on a dowel set into platform base, dressed in original fine linen robe...

Category

Antique 18th Century Italian Folk Art Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Linen, Fruitwood

18th Century French or Italian Santo Nativity Figure

$445

19th Century New England Folk Art Schooner Weathervane

Located in Nantucket, MA

19th Century New England Folk Art Schooner Weathervane, circa 1890, having a carved and painted wooden hull with bowsprit, spars and deck house; wooden masts with wire standing rigging; iron anchors; sheet metal main sail, American flag, and flat-cut sailor manning the helm. The schooner has great lines and style - very graceful sheer, nicely shaped clipper bow, that whimsical sailor at helm...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century American Folk Art Weathervanes

Materials

Metal

19th Century New England Folk Art Schooner Weathervane

$2,585

19th Century Carved and Painted Ship's Billethead

Located in Nantucket, MA

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...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century American Federal Nautical Objects

Materials

Wood

19th Century Carved and Painted Ship's Billethead

$3,400

Vintage South Seas Carved Teak Mermaid

Located in Nantucket, MA

Early vintage or antique South Seas carved teak Mermaid, circa 1920s or perhaps earlier, a hand carved upright figure holding a carved shell, with deeply carved flowers in grooved hair flowing down back, shell necklace, and scale pattern throughout her tail. The statue is weathered, has a few age cracks, and the end of the tail is broken. Mounted long ago on a late Victorian brass lamp...

Category

Early 20th Century Pacific Islands Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Teak

Vintage South Seas Carved Teak Mermaid

$997 Sale Price

30% Off

Antique 19th Century British Country Nautical Objects

English Country Style '19th Century' Carved and Painted Figurehead

$17,400

Original Nautical Mast figurehead

Located in Sag Harbor, NY

This antique mast figure is French and as the story goes salvaged off a French Ship damaged in the Anglo-French War (1803–1815). The one side shows fire damage and is burned in charc...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century French Early Victorian Nautical Objects

Materials

Iron

Original Nautical Mast figurehead

$48,750

19th Century Carved Ship Figurehead Oak Wood Female Figure Antique Maritime

Located in Milan, IT

Figurehead in carved oak depicting a female figure whose body has the shape of a siren, symbol of fertility and protection, with female features in the upper part and fish tail inste...

Category

Antique 1870s Nautical Objects

Materials

Wood

19th Century Carved Ship Figurehead Oak Wood Female Figure Antique Maritime

$46,221

Antique Carved and Decorated Ship's Figurehead

Located in Sheffield, MA

Antique carved and decorated ship's figurehead, circa 1890, depicting a regal bird with a beak. The sculpture is in original paint. Although there has been much paint loss and age cr...

Category

Antique Early 19th Century Indian Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Wood

Antique Carved and Decorated Ship's Figurehead

$3,245 Sale Price

44% Off

American Gilt Carved Wood and Poly Chromed Roman Guard Figurehead, Circa 1890

Located in Charleston, SC

American gilt carved wood and poly chromed nautical figurehead of Roman guard in military attire. Late 19th century.

Category

Antique 1890s American Folk Art Nautical Objects

Materials

Wood, Giltwood, Paint

American Gilt Carved Wood and Poly Chromed Roman Guard Figurehead, Circa 1890

$14,000

19th Century Hand Carved Ludovic Gavioli Organ Figure

Located in London, GB

19th Century Hand Carved Ludovic Gavioli Organ Figure Quite simply, she is beautiful and graceful. This amazing example of a late 19th century hand carved sectioned pine organ figure was produced by the world-renowned Ludovic Gavioli. The detail and expression on her face is what makes this example so delightful, an air of beauty and lifelike appeal in her expression. Personally, we have seen a few figures by Gavioli in the past but this one is special. The detail is of the finest quality and the late 19th century was most certainly when Gavioli produced some of his finest work. Giacomo Gavioli (1786-1875) was considered the greatest of all band organ...

Category