Nautical Objects

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...

Carousel boat by Atelier L' Autopède Belgium. This merry-go-round hand-made metal boat is the first model of the first serie boats made by L' Autopède in...

Azurite is a copper carbonate, usually found in combination with other copper minerals such as its much better known green brother malachite. The mineral is full blue in color and is virtually opaque with a silky sheen. Azurite usually forms in oxidation zones of copper deposits, where secondary to malachite other minerals such as chrysocolla and naturally solid copper can...

The slice is 2cm thick. Agate is a largely translucent and variety of quartz and subvariety of chalcedony. Agate consists mainly of chalcedony and sometimes in combination with v...

Brass telescope with leather handle, made at the end of the nineteenth century, focusing with three extensions. English manufacture of the second half of the 1800s. Maximum length 99...

Hand operated diver's pump for a shallow water pump. Plunger handle with wood grip. Dimensions: 27" H x 11" diameter.

Murex Braccia partially silvered shell 4". Creel and Gow has been working with the same atelier in Rome, Italy for over 20 years to make our signature silvered shells. Our workshop h...

Magnifying glass partially silvered distaff spindle 8". Creel and Gow has been working with the same atelier in Rome, Italy for over 20 years to make our signature silvered shells. O...

An antique water wheel from Kerala, India. This Kerala water wheel, also known as a "chakram chavittal," would have originally been used as a manua...

Modern sailboat model made of steel rods and mounted on triangular stained-wood bases. USA, circa 1970.