Late 19th Century Nautical Objects

Double Sailor's Valentine with Large Anchor, Barbados Barbados, West Indies, Circa 1885 The double sailor's valentine from Barbados is formed within two hinged octagonal mahogany cases with the original loop clasp to the side. On the right side is a central oval design with the charming motto, "Forget Me Not" and on the left side a central heart shape all formed by different shells. Dimensions: 18 1/4 inches wide x 9 1/8 inches high x 2 3/4 inches deep (closed) Each side 9 1/8 inches x 9 1/8 inches x 1 1/4 inches deep open Reference: Sailors’ Valentines originated in the mid-1800s. The majority of Sailors’ Valentines came from the West Indies Island of Barbados, a Port of Call for American and English ships1. Sailors would buy or trade items for these nautical tokens as romantic gifts to take home to their loved ones during their long voyages at sea. Although Sailors’ valentines were made as early as the 1750s, they did not become popular until 1830s. The sailors’ valentine craze lasted until 1890, albeit some examples were made into the early 20th century. Sailors’ valentines are a form of shell craft, a type of mostly antique souvenir or sentimental gift made using large numbers of small seashells. These were originally made between 1830 and 1890, and they were designed to be brought home from a sailor’s voyage at sea and given to the sailor’s loved...

British sailor's woolwork picture of HMS Temeraire, Circa 1880 The sailor's woolwork depicts the port side view of the Royal Navy ship H.M.S. Temeraire as she sails out to seas past a lighthouse on her starboard side and two red-bricked houses on a point on the Port side on a calm blue sea and below a cloudy sky. The wool is done in a chain stitch and now with Museum UV glass. When Gerard Noel took command on 26 October 1889, Termeraire was the last ship to carry sails on its masts. Dimensions: 23 inches high x 28 3/4 inches wide Armament Her armament was partly conventional, being deployed on the broadside, and partly experimental; she was the first British ship to be equipped with guns in barbettes located on the midline on the upper deck. Indeed, she was the first British ship with barbettes of any kind. The armament consisted of four 11 inch muzzle-loading guns, one each on the forecastle and stern, and one each at the forward corners of the central battery to port and starboard. The 11 inch guns were installed on a Moncrieff mount, which had a mechanism for raising and lowering the gun. The mount was on a massive turntable that provided enough space for the hydraulic ramrod. The loading and lifting process, as well as the rotation of the mount, were operated by a disguised stand with four control levers. When the gun was extended and aimed at the target, it was adjusted to elevation graduated in degrees by a rod linkage on each side of the breech. A full gun crew consisted of six men, but the guns could be operated by three in an emergency. In addition, four 10in muzzle-loading guns were located in the rear of the central battery, two on each broadside. To protect against attack by boats armed with torpedoes, the ship received four 20-pounder breech-loading guns. Temeraire was also fitted with two launchers for spar torpedoes. In 1884, the 20-pounders were replaced by four 25-pounder breech-loading guns, and four 3-pounder Hotchkiss and ten 3-pounder Nordenfelt QF guns were also added to the ship. Armour The armored belt extended along the entire length of the ship. It was 11in thick amidships and had a total height of 18.8in, of which 10in was above and 8.9in below the waterline. Towards the bow and stern it tapered to 5in and 5.5in respectively. The central battery was protected by 8in sides and 5in transverse bulkheads. The oval barbettes were protected by 10in forward and 8in aft. This shape was necessary to make room not only for the guns to be lowered, but also for a hydraulic ramrod, which was opposite the gun muzzle and almost as long as the barrel itself. The wider end was open at the top to allow the gun to rise and fire, and the narrower end with the ramrod was covered with iron plates. Its distinctive feature was a complete and continuous armor by a parapet that rose 36in above the deck surrounding it, protecting the gun crew and the gun itself when loaded or not in use. Service history The Temeraire named after the French ship of the line Téméraire captured in 1759, was laid down at Chatham on 18 August 1873, launched on 9 May, and commissioned in 1877 for service in the Mediterranean fleet under Captain Michael Culme-Seymour. She remained there for the next 14 years except for the winter of 1887-88 when she was part of the Channel Squadron. Upon her arrival in Besika Bay, she became Admiral Hornby's flagship. In 1878 she was ordered to the Dardanelles to observe the progress of the Russo-Turkish War. She remained near Istanbul (then Constantinople) until 1879 to represent a strong British position during the protracted international negotiations that led to the Congress of Berlin. She then took part in the reconquest of Ottoman-occupied Cyprus. In 1881 she was paid off in Malta and given a new command. At the outbreak of the Anglo-Egyptian War in 1882, she was recommissioned and took part in the attack on the defensive positions on the coast of Alexandria. In 1884, she was again decommissioned and recommissioned the same year for service in the Mediterranean under Compton Edward Domvile. In 1887 she returned home and was paid off at Porthsmouth. After being recommissioned for service in the Channel Squadron, she visited Vigo, Genoa, and Lisbon. She then returned home, but the growing threat from the French fleet at Toulon made it necessary to increase British forces in the Mediterranean as well. Therefore, Temeraire was reassigned to the Mediterranean Fleet under the command of James...

British Sailor's Woolwork or Woolie, The Gwen, Circa 1875 The small British sailor's woolie depicts a starboard view of the brigantine Gwen sailing on a calm blue sea and flying...

Antique red cat sailor's Valentine, Probably American, Circa 1880-1920 The remarkable sailor's valentine is of square form with a dense pattern of sea she...

Sailor's Woolwork Woolie of Gaff-rigged Sloop, Circa 1870 The British sailor's woolwork or woolie depicts a starboard side view of a gaff-rigged sloop under full sail against a clou...

Sailor's Woolwork of Large Proportions with Multiple Ships, Circa 1865 The extremely large detailed woolwork depicts, in the center, a fully dressed First Rate Royal Navy Battlesh...

West Indian Sailor's Valentine, Circa 1880 The large single sailor's valentine is composed of a variety of shells in concentric and geometric patterns, centered with a pink peony enclosed within a pointed star within an octagonal stained wood frame. Dimensions: 13.86 inches wide x 13.82 inches (35.2cm wide, 35.1cm high) The sailor's valentine A sailor's valentine is made of one, or, more often, a hinged pair of octagonal wooden display cases lined with fabric. Small shells, seeds, or other materials are glued to the fabric, usually forming a colorful design. The name "sailor's valentine" comes from the fact that there is usually a sentimental phrase, such as "Forget Me Not," "With Love," or other sayings that we use on Valentine's Day. The shape is thought to come from old compass cases carried aboard sailing ships. Seashell collecting became popular by the early 1800s, especially in England and America. By the mid-1800s, sea shells were brought back from the Caribbean to Europe and America for use in home display cases. This interest in shell collecting may have later inspired the idea of the sailor's valentine, and the intricate shell display cases influenced the busy designs of these affordable souvenirs of sea voyages. Research has discounted the long-held belief that these were made by sailors themselves as a shipboard diversion. Several facts point to the West Indies...

British Sailor's Patriotic Woolwork with a British Soldier and a Royal Navy Sailor with Union Jack and White Ensign, Circa 1880 The sailor's woolwork of ...

British sailor's woolwork of The Sailor's Farewell, Circa 1865. This is a particularly lovely example of this rare sailor's woolie subject. The Sailor’s Farewell and the Sailor's...

Sailor's woolwork of a fleet of nine royal navy ships, 1875 A wonderful and dramatic sailor's woolie of a starboard view of a fleet of nine Royal Navy ships of a variety of diffe...

Sailor's Woolwork Woolie, First-Rate Royal Navy Ship, Circa 1875 The sailor's woolie depicts the starboard view of a First Rate three-masted British Royal Navy Vessel flying the...

Great Color & Style! Naive Sailor's Woolwork woolie, circa 1875 The sailor's woolie depicts a portside view of a three-masted British Royal Navy Vessel under sail upon a varie...