Prisoner-of-war bone ship model of "The ROYAL GEORGE", English/French, circa 1790. The model has a planked hull and deck. There is a beautifully carved and polychromed figurehead of a mustached warrior holding a sheild in his left hand and a spear in his right. The beakhead and trailboards are also beautifully carved and polychromed. There are three rows of cannons on each side of the hull. There are applied bands that are scribed separating each row of cannons. The bottom two rows of cannons have red painted cannon port covers. The top row of cannons are deck mounted and are protruding through the bulwarks. The rear deck is raised and has a red and blue painted stairway. The front of the raised deck has charming painted panels. The quarter galleries are beautifully carved and polychromed. The stern gallery is exceptional and has three rows of windows with two pierced balconies. Below the bottom set of windows, the name: "THE ROYAL GEORGE", is painted. The top of the galleries has three figures carved in relief and running down the sides of the back are carved bell flowers with blue and red polychrome. There are three carved figures of sailors in blue and red uniforms wearing black top hats. The masts, yardarms and bowsprit are all bone as are the hundreds of tiny deadeyes and blocks. The rigging is extremely elaborate and most of it is original. The model sits in a pair of bone chalks mounted to a mahogany board. The model has an old mahogany case with brass uprights and rounded corners. At each corner at the top of the case are brass urn shaped finials. It is rare to find a prisoner-of-war model with this much color and carved figures. (SM-704)
Condition: Model is in excellent condition and has a mellow age patina. Some of the glass in the case has been replaced, but the case has a nice old finish.
Dimensions of model: Length 22 1/4 inches; Width 7 1/2 inches; Height 18 inches
Dimensions of case: Length 26 3/4 inches; Width 10 1/2 inches; Height 22 1/4 inches.
