Copper Sailboat Weathervane
Copper sailboat weathervane with a weathered and verdigris surface.
New England, mid 20th century, 30 1/2" x 30 1/2" (including stand).
$1800
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Snatch Block from the Nantucket Whaleship 'Walter Scott'
Made of ash with iron pins and iron sheave.
The Walter Scott was built in 1836 and brought over 5,000 barrels of sperm oil to Nantucket from voyages to the Pacific; she survived the storm off Australia and was sold in Edgartown in 1849.
Descended from the family of Captain Charles Grant.
Capt. Charles Grant (1814-1906), of Nantucket is credited with being the greatest of all whaling masters, who made more money for himself and the owners of the vessels he commanded than any other captain in the history of the whaling industry.
Charles Grant, like many another Nantucket lad, started his whaling career at the age of eleven. The list of vessels in which he sailed is a long one. His first ship was the “John Jay”. Then came the ships “Maria” and “Mount Vernon”. He sailed his first voyage as master in the ship “Walter Scott”, when he was thirty years old. This voyage lasted four years and netted over $100,000. During his stay ashore after this voyage he married Nancy Wyer, who accompanied him on most of his subsequent voyages. She was the first Nantucket woman to go whaling. All of their children were born on voyages.
Later Capt. Grant sailed in command of the “Japan”. All of these voyages were very successful, and Capt. Grant received “the largest lay of any man in the business”.
When he escaped the “Shenandoah” during the Civil War and brought home his cargo in safety he was accounted a lucky man indeed. Next he commanded the “Milton” and then the “Niger”. Having made a fortune he decided to retire, but consented to make one more voyage, this time in the ship “Horatio”. His profits on this voyage amounted to $40,000.
Fifty-six years of his life Capt. Grant spent at sea aboard whaleships. He record was $30,000 barrels of oil while as an officer and 22,000 barrels more as master, besides 12,000 pounds of whalebone and eighteen pounds of ambergris.
In spite of the fortunes he made, Capt. Grant died a poor man. He was called the most charitable man who ever trod the deck of a ship. He never turned down an appeal for help and was too generous for his own good. His money “slipped through his fingers”.
During his last years of his life he filled the position of Custodian of the Old Mill, and fortunate indeed were the visitors with whom he “gammed”, for he was an encyclopedia in nautical matters relating to the island history.
When Capt. Grant died at the age of ninety-two years he was the oldest whaling captain alive, as well as the most famous, and newspapers far and wide chronicled his passing and featured his marvelous career.
11 1/2" x 3"
c.1830.
$600
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19th Century Scrimshaw Walrus Tusks
A large pair of 19th century scrimshaw walrus tusks, each engraved with a portrait. One is of a fashionably dressed man with high boots standing on a geometric rug, the other of a woman in Victorian attire.
Both tusks are plugged with brass.
English, c.1850, 22 1/2" High
$3500 pair
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Large Yacht Race Diorama
Large ship diorama of a yacht race, depicting two schooners and lighthouse. Housed in a large carved oak frame.
Dated 1888
22 ½” x 37”
$2500
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Sailor Made Ebony and Whalebone Block.
Sailor made two-sheaved pulley block with pinned construction and whalebone sheaves.
Ebony. 3 1/4" length.
c.1850
$750
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Small Sailor Made Whalebone Block.
Sailor made two-sheaved whalebone pulley block with pinned construction exhibiting a 19th century patina.
Whalebone. 2 1/4" length.
c.1880-1890
$500
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Whalebone Snatch Block.
A block is the seaman's name for a pulley-block. A snatch-block is a block that is open and can be thrown onto a line to grab it rather than threading the end of the line through the block.
Intact snatch blocks are especially hard to find due to the rough treatment they encountered in every day use. Whalebone. 6 1/2" length.
19th century.
$1800
For more information please email us or call 508-228-0960
A Pair of Porthole Side Tables.
Early 20th century brass and bronze portholes on custom mahogany bases with turned spindle style legs.
18" table height (21 1/2" overall height to the tips of the dogs) x 21" circumference.
$2500
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Relief Carved Ship Plaque
Carved from a Single Piece of Pine.
Vessel is painted white with its natural aged background.
13 1/2" x 22 1/2"
American, c. 1880-1890
$2600
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Whalebone Fid
Sailor made fid, turned and carved out of whalebone with an incised ring.
Showing nice patina and 19th century wear. Mint condition.
c.1840-1860, 10 3/4" length.
A fid is a conical pinlike tool, traditionally made of bone or wood, shaped to work with rope and canvas. Fids are used to hold open knots in rope and holes in canvas or to part the "lays" or strands of a rope in order to splice a line.
$995
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Mahogany "Shincracker" Ship's Wheel
Mahogany “Shincracker” ship wheel, mostlikely from a coastal Schooner.
New England, c.1840
$8500
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Scrimshaw Whale's Tooth with Scotsman and British Ship
Featuring a Scotsman wearing a kilt with a drawn sword and a ship flying the Union Jack.
c. 1860.
Approximately 6" x 2" x 2 1/2".
$4000
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Sailor-Made Canvas Ditty Bag with Macrame
A Ditty Bag is a small bag that a sailor kept small tools, equipment and personal items in. The ditty bag and the sea bag, a relative of the ditty bag, were the first projects for an apprentice in the sailmaker's trade or as a working seaman. These items incorporated the primary skills needed when making and repairing sails.
19th century.
13" H x 9 1/2" Diameter.
$500
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Sailor Made Mahogony Dresser Box
Mahogany with mahogany inlay and mahogany secondary woods. Turned ivory drawer pulls and feet.
14" wide x 9 1/2" deep x 5 1/2" high.
Mid 19th century.
$3500
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Sailor Made Rolling Pin
Made of an exotic hardwood with turned whale ivory handles and inlaid with tortoise shell.
19th century
16" long
$2800
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Carved Figurehead Bust of a Bearded American Seaman.
Figure is dressed in period sailor attire and is in untouched original condition.
The red paint is not original, but most likely 19th century.
Carved out of eastern white pine.
35" x 14" x 13"
c. 1840-1850
Rare in that the figure appears to be a mate, rather than an owner or captain. This piece was sold in 1948 by Frank F. Sylvia.
$24000