West Sea Co. SAILOR FOLK ART Catalog Page 11

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11.30 SHIP IN A BOTTLE DIORAMA. Extra nice early 20th century ship in a bottle diorama depicting a large 4-masted bark passing a town of exceptional size and complexity. There are at least 30 buildings, several carved wooden trees and a large clock tower in the background. The ship, with sleek, graceful hull, is carved from a single piece of wood painted blue with a salmon deck. It flies the owner’s flag from the fore and the Italian merchant ensign aft. This fine example of sailor folk art is signed on banners above the town “Armandad Elina / Recordad di mi / Remember to me.” All of this is captured in time within a long neck whiskey bottle of clear glass, showing its age with a pontil on the bottom and bubbles in the glass. It is capped off with the original cork bearing a star sealed under sealing wax. The bottle is 11 inches long by 4 inches in diameter. A remarkable feature of this presentation is its charming wooden stand with classic chipped-carved border and muted green, red and yellow paint. The stand measures 8 inches long by 3 inches wide. Condition is exceptional. The bottle is clear and the interior colors clean and bright. 695

PERSPECTIVE

SHIP

STOPPER

STAND

11.31   CAT O’ NINE TAILS. Very scarce! Genuine late 18th or very early 19th century sailor-made device used to inflict punishment on recalcitrant sailors in the early days of sail. This fearsome yet artistic example is beautifully macraméd of heavy cotton line using a variety of fancy knotwork methods including 3 Turk’s heads, Spanish hitching and 4-strand sennet. It terminates in a 5 strand Turk’s head with remnants of 4 of the 5 “tails” still remaining. It is likely that this rare example is actually what was known as a “boy’s cat.” (See below). The body measures 12 ½ inches long by 2 inches wide at the widest and 25 inches long overall and weighs 5 ounces. 795

The term was first used in 1695, although the design is much older.   A typical cat o’ nine tails was made up of nine knotted thongs of cotton cord about 2 1/2 feet long, designed to lacerate the skin and cause intense pain.   The name probably came from the fact that the so-called "claws" (thongs) inflicted parallel wounds known as “stripes.”

It traditional use the cat had nine thongs due to the lay of the strands of rope from which it was fashioned.   To make a cat o' nine tails, a rope was unraveled into three smaller ropes, each of which was then unraveled again.

In the Royal Navy, the cat, also known as the captain's daughter, weighed about 13 ounces and consisted of a handle with nine cords.   All formal punishments ordered the captain or courts martial were administered ceremonially on deck, with the crew summoned to "witness punishment."   The drama was enhanced by drum rolls and the whole routine, including pauses, untangling of the tails, drinks of water and so on, protracted the event intended more for intimidating the crew than punishing the actual recipient.
A new cat was made for each flogging by a boatswain's mate and kept in a red baize bag until it was needed. In Admiral Nelson’s time the cat was actually made by the condemned sailor who was forced to fabricate it while in irons during the hours prior to his flogging. In some cases a cat with a wooden handle was used, with steel balls or pieces of wire added to the tips of the thongs to maximize injury.

Also in the Royal Navy, a smaller, lighter model was used on boys and apprentices, known as the “boy's cat” or “boy's pussy.” It had five tails of smooth whip cord and was half the weight of an adult cat. But if formally convicted by a courts martial, even boys would suffer punishment from the dreaded adult cat.

After flogging was completed, the sailor's lacerated back was frequently rinsed with brine or seawater, which served as an antiseptic. While the purpose was to reduce the risk of infection, it caused the sailor to endure additional pain, giving rise to the expression, "rubbing salt into the wound" – which to this day means vindictive or excessively oppressive behavior.

DETAIL

HANDLE DETAIL

11.27 EXQUISITE POWDER HORN. Early 1800’s British seaman’s powder flask carved from the tough shell of a coconut. This extraordinary example is meticulously carved with the finest detail depicting several charming vignettes. Telling of its origins it shows a crown encircled by an oval double rope border near the bottom. Nearer the top is the carved inscription “MY HART” encircled by a rope border festooned with leaves and five-pointed stars top and bottom. Two conjoined hearts are pierced by arrows. These are flanked by two scaly serpents with arrows for tongues. There is a mythical beast adorning the top complete with scaly back, lizard legs, two open eyes, and a mouth made of faceted pewter which also serves as the flask’s spout. On either side are pewter mounting lugs which would have been attached to a strap for carrying. The remainder of the flask is adorned with any number of rosettes, vines, stars, recurring designs, pinwheels and two castles astride a plinth surmounted by pinwheels! Execution of the carving is of the first order. The fine detail is literally amazing, and bears close scrutiny under magnification – a true testament to the carver’s advanced skills! 5 ½ inches long by 4 ¼ inches in diameter. Fabulous original condition.

DETAIL

VINES

MY HEART

MOUTH

11.09 AMERICAN SHIP IN BOTTLE DIORAMA. Good, early 1900’s sailor-made bottle model of a 3-masted bark, which exhibits many of the characteristics sought after by collectors of this folk art form:

1. Clear, clean glass bottle of early form.
2. Carved wooden ship hull with rigging rove through masts and spars.
3. Ship flying American flag and pennant.
4. Colorful background depicting a town with several buildings.
5. Foreground with small steamship.
6. Original sealed stopper.
7. Original wooden display stand.

In short, a very pleasing, original and highly collectible example. The bottle measures 10 inches long by 3 ¼ inches in diameter and the nicely-made solid teak stand measures 11 inches long by 3 inches wide. 349


DETAIL	SHIP	STAND

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 focsle 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. 395

PERSPECTIVE

DETAIL

SHIP/TRAIN


TOP DETAIL	MIRROR


REVERSE	PLATE