Russian Battleship 'Orel', an iron shield momento from the Battle of Tsushima, Japan 27th-28th May 1905, fashioned from a fragment of Orel's plating pierced by a Japanese shell, the fragment is shaped around the hole as a shield, through which a photograph of the stricken ship is seen lying crippled in Maizura Harbour after the debacle. A small brass plate below is inscribed 'Souvenir of the Naval Victory of the Japan Sea, 27th-28th May 1905', a wooden box is fitted to the back to hold the photograph, together with the shipping page from a contemporary newspaper and a carte de visite inscribed 'For Miss Condew with the compliments of Vice Admiral Saito, 1907' (the then Japanese 'Minister of Marine'), the black finished shield suspended by a heavy link chain -- 6¾ x 7in. (17.2 x 18cm.)

細節

Russian Battleship 'Orel', an iron shield momento from the Battle of Tsushima, Japan 27th-28th May 1905, fashioned from a fragment of Orel's plating pierced by a Japanese shell, the fragment is shaped around the hole as a shield, through which a photograph of the stricken ship is seen lying crippled in Maizura Harbour after the debacle. A small brass plate below is inscribed 'Souvenir of the Naval Victory of the Japan Sea, 27th-28th May 1905', a wooden box is fitted to the back to hold the photograph, together with the shipping page from a contemporary newspaper and a carte de visite inscribed 'For Miss Condew with the compliments of Vice Admiral Saito, 1907' (the then Japanese 'Minister of Marine'), the black finished shield suspended by a heavy link chain -- 6¾ x 7in. (17.2 x 18cm.)

拍品專文

'Orel' was one of four brand new Russian battleships in a forty-five strong fleet under Admiral Rozhestvensky which sailed all the way from the Baltic in May 1905 only to be annihilated by a Japanese ambush off Tsushima Island. The Russian Fleet had been dispatched from the Baltic to the Yellow Sea to aid the defence of Port Arthur, but Port Arthur had capitulated to Admiral Togo before their arrival and his smaller but much faster fleet was lying in wait.
Only three Russian vessels escaped to Vladivostock, and of the four new battleships, 'Orel' was the only survivor. She was annexed by Togo.