Mahogany Doll Cradle with Whalebone and Rosewood Inlaid Designs and Dated 1861, attributed to Jacob Turnerly. The mahogany cradle has curved rockers with a shaped hood with visor. The sides of the cradle have inlaid pan bone vines with rosewood flowers. The visor has a similar inlaid vine and flower inlaid pattern. The foot end panel has a inlaid rosewood and bone eagle flanked by American flags and the date `1861. Above the eagle is cut out hart design. The back of the bonnet has a rosewood and bone inlaid bird perched on a whalebone inlaid branch with leaves.
PROVENANCE: The Ernest Gates Collection, formerly Curator of the JIBBOOM Club of New London, CT. The club was formed in the 1870's as a social club for officers of whaling ships. It was disbanded in 1959. Mr. Gates was its curator in the 1940's and 1950's. He was also an ardent collector of whaling artifacts and he obviously had a good eye for the fine and rare pieces
Note: The bark Oriole had her maiden voyage out of Fairhaven MA 1857-1861. Her master was Captain Mickell ThomasJr. . The Oriole mad 5 voyages out of Fairhaven and then addtional 3 out of New Bedford ending in 1871.
Reference 1: The Doll’s Cradle is is illustrated, double page spread on pages 251-252 in the book “Wandering Whaleman and their Art: A Collection of Scrimshaw Masterpieces” by Alan Granby and Published by Alan Granby is 2022. (SC1225)
Reference 2: A very similar sized cradle with very similar inlays by the same hand was illustrated in the Esmarion Collection book titled “American Radiance” on page 324.
This example was sold at Sotheby’s on June 25th, 2014 In the Esmarion Collection as lot 621 for $50,000.
The bone visor in this example was replaced.
Dimensions: Height 14, Length 22 ½, Width 13, Inches
