Miniture Carved Figurehead by LLoyd McCaffrey of the "Glory of the Sea's" with McCaffrey Mount and Case
InformationLLoyd McCaffrey, 1949-) Miniture Carved Figurehead by LLoyd McCaffrey of the "Glory of the Sea's" with McCaffrey Mount and Case
LLoyd McCaffrey, (1949-),
Miniature Carved Figurehead by LLoyd McCaffrey of the "Glory of the Sea's" with McCaffrey Mount and Case
Glory Of The Seas
By LLOYD MCCAFFERY
This figure is surely one of the most beautiful figures ever carved. It has been called the swan-song of the ship carver's art.
The ship was the last of Donald McKay's medium clipper designs, built at East Boston in 1869, propitious year in international trade and ship building. She had a long career, finally reduced to a cannery vessel, and burnt for her copper at Endoline, near Seattle in 1921. I am very grateful to Michael Jay Mjelde for lending me photographs of the figure that he discovered. His book on the ship is the defining story.
The figure was saved from the ship at the last minute, and was on display at The India House in New York. Photos show she lost her fight arm at least once, and her drapery had a gold leaf edge. Some have complained that the surface does not show the chisel marks that add character, but the surface must have been decayed from her decades at sea, and thus someone probably removed some material to give a presentable surface. So what we see today is a smooth finish, altered from whatever it may have been originally.
This extreme miniature carving is slightly smaller than 1 1/2" high. It is carved from boxwood, with some material left at the bottom to give an idea of how the stock is removed to make the carving. The details of the head were a particular challenge.
Hand Carved Figureheads
By LLOYD MCCAFFERY
Each Figurehead has been hand-carved, using a variety of tools. I use a belt driven dental engine with a number of different burs, including HSS, carbide,and diamonds. I also make tiny chisels and rotary discs for the very smallest details. Each piece is mounted on a base of apple or pear. The stem in many cases had a taper in thickness, and the straddle figures have a tapered slot to fit this. In some cases, the base or mounting of the figure is altered to avoid becoming involved is such complications as head rails.
Condition: Excellent with case and base
Height less that 1 1/2 inches
