11. Sailor Folk Art

11.56  BOS’N PIPE with LANYARD.   Genuine early 1900’s sterling silver boatswain’s pipe. This authentic American "call" consists of a large round bowl attached to a gradually tapering pipe which terminates in a flared mouthpiece.  The pipe is affixed to a reinforced shank or "keel" which is impressed "STERLING" on the side.  A suspension loop in the keel retains a fancy sailor-macraméd lanyard which was worn around the sailor's neck as part of his dress uniform. This bos'n call was crafted by a skilled silversmith with a telling mortise joint on the bottom of the shank and a seamless, finely tapering tube.  It measures 5 1/2 inches in length and is in perfect condition and produces a loud, shrill tone.  The lanyard is made of braided cotton and measures 24 inches long fully extended.  295  

HISTORY of the BOATSWAIN'S CALL.

The Call has its beginnings in the days of the English Crusades, 1248 A.D., as a method of alerting troops to arms.  Documented in 1485 A.D., the call was used as an honored badge of rank, then being worn by the Lord High Admiral of England.  Undoubtedly it was worn because it was used as a method of passing orders, and therefore signified authority.  When the Lord High Admiral, Sir Edward Howard, was killed in action off Brest in 1513 while commanding French Galleys, a "Whistle of Honour" was presented to him posthumously by the Queen of France.  From about that time onward the call was no longer used as a badge of rank, reverting to its original use as a method of passing orders only.  About 1671 the name Call was well established, lasting to the present day.  In the U.S. Navy the call is often referred to as a Boatswain's Pipe

11.55  CASED DOMINO SET.  Classic 19th century sailor-made game set in the form of double 6’s dominos housed in their original machine dove-tailed hardwood box with sliding lid.   This perfect complete set of 28 pieces is constructed of whalebone and ebony laminated together with brass pins.  Each gaming piece is beautifully hand-detailed and measures 1 ¾ inches long by 7/8 inches wide and 5/16 inches thick.  They are housed in the original box measuring 7 inches long by 2 ¼ inches wide and 2 inches thick.  Absolutely outstanding condition in all respects.  This set exhibits its age with no flaws.  The game pieces themselves are all perfect.  Priced to sell. 179

11.54  SAILOR SHIP COMMEMORATIVE.  Very nice turn-of-the-last century sailor-made ship memento depicting the British Royal Navy battleship “HMS CANOPUS” as nicely-painted in gold top and bottom.  This good example of early sailor folk art features a carved wooden “lifering” frame.  Each side is decorated with colorful crossed ensigns of the British merchant fleet and the Royal Navy.  The ring encircles an original silver plate photo of the CANOPUS at anchor.  Close scrutiny under magnification reveals many details including sailors on deck, deck equipment, guns, twin stacks and her unusually wide conning bridge!   The image is framed by a reverse-painted shield on the old wavy glass.  The outer frame is encircled by a “life line” which doubles as a hanger.  9 ½ inches in diameter.  Condition is excellent, showing the typical signs of wear and age for such an item about 120 years old.  The photograph is perfect.  199 

HMS CANOPUS was a pre-dreadnought battleship in the Royal Navy and the first ship in her class.  Intended for service in Asia, CANOPUS and her sister ships were smaller and faster than the preceding Majestic-class battleships, but retained the same main battery of four 12 inch guns.  She was laid down in January 1897, launched in October, and commissioned in December 1899.                                                                       

After commissioning CANOPUS served in the Mediterranean Fleet until 1903, when she underwent a refit.  In 1905 she steamed to East Asia, but the renewal of an Anglo-Japanese Alliance that year rendered her presence in Asian waters unnecessary.  She returned to Britain and served with several fleet commands including the Atlantic Fleet, the Channel Fleet, and the Home Fleet.  A short deployment to the Mediterranean followed in 1908–1909.  Upon returning to Britain, she was placed in reserve.

At the outset of the First World War in August 1914, she was mobilized for service on South American Station, where she patrolled for German commerce raiders.  She was involved in the search for the German East Asia Squadron of Vice Admiral Maximilian von Spee.  Too slow to follow Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock's cruisers, she missed the Battle of Coronel in November 1914 in which Cradock was defeated.  Moored at Port Stanley as a defensive battery, she fired the first shots of the Battle of the Falklands in December, which led Spee to break off the attack prior to being chased down and destroyed by Admiral Sturdee's battle cruisers.

CANOPUS was transferred to the Mediterranean in early 1915 for the Dardanelles Campaign.  She participated in major attacks on the Ottoman coastal fortifications defending the Dardanelles in March 1915.  But the British and French fleets proved incapable of taking the straits.  After the Gallipoli campaign ended in the withdrawal of Allied forces in January 1916, CANOPUS patrolled the eastern Mediterranean.  She was removed from service in April 1916 and was converted into a barracks ship in early 1918.  At war's end, she was decommissioned and broken up in 1920.

5.43/11.52   SAILOR FOLK ART COMMEMORATIVE.  An exceptional example of World War II U.S. Navy sailor folk art in the form of an original framed  photograph of the USS LANGLEY (CVL-27) at anchor.  This large black and white photograph shows the mighty ship “on the hook” in a calm sea with pennants flying from her yard arm, as the ship’s boats ride on the boat boom on her starboard quarter aft.  The photograph, under glass, is mounted in an amazing wooden frame carved in the form of 2 anchors intertwined by blackened hemp rope with two square knots top and bottom.  The area immediately surrounding the photograph is gold-painted plaster.  Equally amazing is the fact that the back of the frame is fitted with a large metal panel, presumably taken from the ship!  This wonderful relic measure 17 ¾ inches wide by 13 ½ inches tall.   The image is 6 ¾ by 10 ½ inches site.  The entire presentation is in outstanding original condition in all respects.  The photograph is clear, detailed and flawless.   Owing to its quality, size and composition, we believe  it was an Official U.S. Navy photograph.   One of the most interesting war mementoes we have ever come across. 395

USS LANGLEY (CVL-27) namesake of America’s first aircraft carrier (CV-1/AV-3), was laid down at Camden, New Jersey in April 1942.  The first LANGLEY was sunk by enemy action only 2 months earlier.   LANGLEY (CVL-27) was originally ordered as the light cruiser FARGO, but with the loss of her predecessor the necessity of adding more carriers to the fleet was seen.  So she was redesigned as an aircraft carrier, using the original cruiser hull and machinery, ironically much like the first LANGLEY had been built.  She was launched on May 22, 1943 and Commissioned in August 1943.   LANGLEY headed to the Pacific late in the year and entered combat in the Marshall Islands operation in January–February 1944.  During the next four months, her planes attacked Japanese positions in the central Pacific and western New Guinea.  In June 1944 she took part in the assault on the Marianas and in the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

LANGLEY continued her war role through the end of 1944, participating in the Palau Operation, raids on the Philippines, Formosa and the Ryukyus, and the Battle of Leyte Gulf.  In January–February 1945 she participated  with the Third Fleet in the South China Sea,  making the first massed carrier attacks on the Japanese Home Islands and the invasion of Iwo Jima.  More combat followed in March–May with LANGLEY’s planes  hitting more targets in Japan and in support of the invasion of Okinawa.  After overhaul in the U.S. in June and July, LANGLEY was en route to the Pacific war zone again when the war ended in August.

Following service in  transporting Pacific veterans home, LANGLEY went to the Atlantic Ocean, where she carried out similar missions from November 1945 through January 1946.   Inactive at Philadelphia during the remainder of 1946, the carrier was decommissioned  in February 1947.
USS LANGLEY (CVL-27) was awarded 9 battle stars for her participation in World War II.

11.53 SAILOR KNOTWORK FRAME. An amazing testament to the seamanship skills exemplified in this hand-tied ropework display Done with cotton cordage and “small stuff” on a wooden backing, this frame contains an unbelievable array of knots forming its perimeter. On the reverse is a weathered old label reading ““Northwind” A Superb Example of an Ancient nautical Art The knotting in this design is composed of the following: Sword mat, 7-Strand Epaulet, Triple Passed Bugler’s Braid, 4-Strand Jury Knot Mat, Double-Passed Flat Sennit, 12 Strand, Double Passed English Sennit, 17 Strand, Triple-Passed Interlock Carrick Bend Double Passed . The “NORTHWIND” is an original creation by Seaworthy, San Diego 1, California.” The frame houses a matted print by of Montague Dawson of a 2-masted yawl on a port tack. The frame measures 13 inches high by 15 ½ inches wide. Overall condition is excellent. There is absolutely no damage or wear to the ropework. The reverse is covered in its original paper which has toned with age and the label has some losses, none of which affect the print. From our personal collection for over 30 years. A superb example by a master. Ready to hang. 395

11.75 SEAM RUBBER. Particularly well executed mid-19th hand held tool used by a sailor to crease a fold in sail cloth prior to stitching. This genuine sailmaker's seam rubber is fashioned from a single piece of oak with an octagonally-faceted shaft, tapered "blade" and octagonal rounded knob. The shaft is drilled through, presumably to accommodate a thong. Adding to its charm and identification as sailor folk art, the knob is inlaid with a lovely disc of mother-of-pearl. This scarce instrument is rich with wear and patina attesting to years of actual use aboard a sailing ship. 4 1/2 inches long. A very charming tangible example sailing history. 229

11.49   DOMINO SET.   Full set of double sixes dominos, consisting of 28 pieces made of whale bone and rich mahogany.  Each piece consists of a slab of dense whalebone inset with black dots, blank through double six having the center divided by an incised red line.  The equal size pieces measure 1 by 2 inches and are 5/16 inches thick.  Excellent original condition showing good age.  A $250 value, these are bargain-priced at only 95

11.25  SHIP IN A BOTTLE DIORAMA.  Most charming, early 1900’s ship in a bottle scene depicting a large 3-masterd bark passing a town with numerous features.  These include a large windmill, a derrick lifting a load of lumber on the shoreline, a truss bridge over a river, a town in the hills complete with church tower, and a train on tracks running into a tunnel!  The ship itself has a raised foc’sle and poop carved from a single piece of wood.  Portholes are depicted along it sides, and it is complete with standing rigging.  The ship plies a blue putty sea and the inside of the bottle has a painted blue sky with clouds.  This is all contained within an early molded whiskey bottle with long neck sealed with the original cork under old red paint.  The glass is clear, the colors bright and the contents are untouched.  11 ¼ inches long by 3 inches in diameter.  WAS 495  NOW! 249

11.47  EARLY NAVAL CANNON MODEL.  Splendid Civil War era sailor-made model of a much earlier 18th century Naval gun.  This incredibly realistic miniature cannon has a very heavy, solid brass barrel with integrally-cast trunnions, decorative turnings and a bulbous breach ball.  The muzzle exhibits a very smooth bore with a 3/8 inch diameter.   The stout barrel is mounted to a classic gun carriage of dense, old best mahogany.  The carriage is supported on 4 charming carved wooden wheels in red ochre paint mounted on hardwood axles.  The front of the carriage is equipped with two separate rope stays with brass fasteners.  Cleverly, the ropes are macraméd in such a way as to absorb shock from the recoil of the gun.  To these ends, the back of the cannon has two wooden wedges for placement under the rear wheels to minimize recoil.  The lines and attachments are done in a most seamanlike manner with tight serving on each.  A solid ebony breech block is present to properly elevate the gun by wedging the breach atop the carriage.  This realistic, superbly detailed model comes complete with a ramrod on the right side of the carriage supported by two carved wooden “shield” brackets.  The left side has a decorative wooden oval inlaid with a circular disc similar to the wheels.  The barrel itself measures exactly 7 3/16 inches long and 1 5/8 inches in diameter at the widest.  The carriage is 4 ½ inches wide overall.  Fully extended the components measure 17 inches long overall.  Condition is outstanding and original in all respects with a great patina exhibiting age and careful respect.   While the touch hole is contiguous with the barrel, we do not recommend firing.  This is the finest such antique cannon model of its type we have ever seen.  We grudgingly relinquish it from our personal collection for a price of less than what we paid for it over 20 years ago!  475

11.45   EXCEPTIONAL CARVED FRAME.   Beautifully- carved and inlaid picture frame made from a single panel of rich African mahogany in the form of a ship’s lifering.  This especially nice presentation features marguetry butterflies made of varietal woods inlaid on the left and right of the ring.  The center features a rectangular opening for inserting a photograph, presumably of the sailor who carved it.  Flanking each side of the opening are carved daisies with thistle-like flowers resembling anchors, above and below.  At the top of the ring is the marguetry wood inlaid “HMS,” and the bottom “CODETIA.”   The back is equipped with a hand-cut copper hanging bracket and 4 pivoting retaining wedges.  10 ¾ inches in diameter.   Fabulous original, untouched condition exhibiting a great age patina.  One of the best sailor folk art items we have ever come across.  A real keeper!  195

HMS CODETIA was an Arabis-class sloop launched in 1916 in the service of the Royal Navy’s Fisheries Protection during World War I.  She had a length of 255 feet, a beam of 33 feet 6 inches, a draft of 11 feet 9 inches and displaced 1,250 tons.  After 21 years of wartime and peaceful duties she was broken up in 1937.