拍品專文
The USS Constitution was launched on October 21, 1797 at Boston. Built by George Claighorne, she is a 44-gun frigate and is the oldest commissioned warship in the U.S. Navy. She earned the nickname "Old Ironsides" after a sailor saw a cannonball bounce off her hull. The USS Constitution was the mainstay of the War of 1812, during which she won all 40 of the battles in which she was engaged. In 1812 Constitution fought a famous battle with the British frigate HMS Java. After the battle Java was so damaged by gunfire that she was beyond saving - the only thing salvaged was her wheel which was used to replace that of the Constitution which had been smashed early in the contest, serving as a useful replacement and a badge of victory.