NAUTICAL ANTIQUES
Mam1
of the most ardent collectors of 'nauticalia' - items relating to
ships and the sea - are themselves boat owners, but the decorative
carvings of scrimshaw work can be appreciated without any nautical
Widely
different kinds
of antiques are
included among nautical items: precision instruments, ceramics and
fine art among them. Chronometers and navigational instruments
'Rodney's Sailor' Toby jugs, ships' fittings, paintings and, above
all, sailors' craft work provide their own glimpses of life at sea.
'Rodney's Sailor' Toby jugs, ships' fittings, paintings and, above
all, sailors' craft work provide their own glimpses of life at sea.
SA1LORWORK
AND SCRIMSHAW
NAUTICAL ANTIQUES |
Most
scrimshaw was made from the teeth of sperm whales, which were
generally engraved with scenes of life at sea, portraits of those
left at home, or views of contemporary events. At auction today, they
fetch anything from £200 to £12,000, depending on the quality of
work and subject matter. Whaling scenes are the most keenly sought.
Collectors
need to beware, however, as large numbers of replica scrimshawed
whale teeth are being made from injection-moulded resin. This can
usually be identified by its rather greasy surface and warm feel when
compared with a real whale's tooth.
The
pieces are also often over-decorated and dated, unlike most
originals. Modern reproductions on real teeth also exist. These
can usually be identified from the whiteness of the ivory and the
style of decoration, which is too finely worked and too modern in
appearance. Technical mistakes and anachronisms in whaling scenes may
also be a give away.
NAUTICAL ANTIQUES |
Many
model ships in bottles and three- dimensional shipping scenes, or
dioramas, were made by sailors and fishermen in the late 19th and
early 20th centuries. Ships in bottles generally fetch between £100
and £300, depending
on their size and intricacy. Complex shipping dioramas sell for
as much as £1000, or smaller ones for £ 150-£200.
Shipbuilders'
models are much more detailed and precise. They were used from the
17th century onwards to show the internal construction of the
hull, and the stern and how decoration, to prospective buyers. Apart
from their intrinsic beauty, such models give a fascinating insight
into how ships were built in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Nineteenth-century
dockyard models are normally made from laminated wood and are often
half-block models. These show one side of the hull only, to indicate
its shape to the builders, and they have little deck detail or
decoration. Rare i7th-century ship models will
sell for £50,000, or even more, whereas simpler, half- block models
for commercial vessels will generally go for between £300 and £500.
NAUTICAL ANTIQUES |
There
is always a demand for ships' equipment, and larger pieces -
such as ships' wheels and binnacle compasses - are sought after as
interior decoration for homes and restaurants, as are brass portholes
(£50-£100 at auction) and bells. Painted sea chests sell at about
£300-£500, but many replicas exist.
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