A Napoleonic Prisoner of War Model of the 92 gun ship of the line H.M.S. Royal George

Details

A Napoleonic Prisoner of War Model of the 92 gun ship of the line H.M.S. Royal George
The model is built up in a solid form and the hull and deck are planked in bone veneers from the keel up. At the bow is a figurehead of an American Indian with pivoting arms, the waist and the strake between the gun ports are painted black, at the stern are carved and painted quarter galleries and a carved, pierced and painted transom with gallery decorated with cherubs around a face. Other details include pin and fife rails, a belfry, guns on carriages, barrels, carved and polychrome figures on deck and in the rigging, polychrome decoration and detailing throughout, a bowsprit, three masts with cross spars all in bone, standing and running rigging. Mounted on a long keel block with steel hull supports, on a green felt covered base board with carved bone decoration around the outer edge. Displayed within a painted wood framed glass display case with an incorrect label.
22¼ in. high, 26¼ in. wide, 11¾ in. deep (the case)

Provenance

J.D. Crimmons Collection
Purchased from Max Williams, May 1918

Lot Essay

This model probably is after the H.M.S. Royal George of 1756. She was the first warship to exceed 2,000 tons and was commissioned at the start of the Seven Years' War with France. In 1782, under Admiral Lord Howe, she was assembled for the permanent relief of Gibraltar. While taking on supplies on August 29, H.M.S. Royal George was heeled at a slight angle to make some minor repairs below the waterline. At the same time, the lower deck gunports were not properly secured and the ship suddenly rolled over, filled with water, and sank.

As shown in a November, 1927 photograph, this ship model was displayed in "Museum [Room] No. I" (the XVII Century Room) in the attic of Blairhame (see p. ?, fig. 4).

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