What is a jewel iron and what does it look like?

[Roger Fyre]

I'm modeling the whaler Kate Cory from the Old Dartmouth Historical Society by Ronnberg. The diagram of the fore topsail yard shows a "jewel iron" at the end of the yard. It looks like a band with one or two tabs but the drawing is not clear. Can anyone offer any help or guidance?

[wefalck]

Perhaps you should search for stunsail booms. These are the 8-shaped iron that hold them to the yard.

[Mark P]

Good Evening Roger;

 

Whilst I agree with WE's comment above, I also seem to recall that a rigging block fixed to the end of a yard was called a jewel block. Your diagram might mean this. Can you post a picture, which would probably settle it.

 

All the best,

 

Mark P

[Jim Lad]

The jewel blocks were usually either suspended from a bolt driven into the end of the stunsail boom or secured with a grommet, but there may have been a more sophisticated fitting on this ship. As Mark says, a picture would help.

 

John

[Roger Fyre]

Thanks to those who responded to the jewel iron question. Following suggestions for pictures I'm attaching 3 relevant photos. I will try to put them in this order:

1. Picture from the Ronnberg plans for "fore topsail yard."  As you can see it is short on detail.

2. The only reference I could find for "jewel" is from Underhill's Masking and Rigging book, page 190 and it refers to mounting jewel blocks in a different way.

3. Based on this information the third picture shows my attempt to model this feature. I'd appreciate any comments, suggestions or improvements.

[bruce d]

From The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary:

 

jewel-block (nautical). either of two small blocks suspended at the ends of main and fore-topsail yards, through which the halyards or studding-sails are passed.

 

There is no mention of 'jewel iron'. Hope this helps.

[mtaylor]

Bruce's definition also agrees with  Falconer's (http://southseas.nla.gov.au/refs/falc/0743.html).

JEWEL-BLOCKS, a name given to two small blocks, which are suspended at the extremity of the main and fore-top-sail-yards, by means of an eye-bolt, driven from without into the middle of the yard-arm, parallel to it's axis. The use of these blocks is to retain the upper-part of the top-mast studding-sails beyond the skirts of the top-sails, so that each of those sails may have it's full force of action, which would be diminished by the incroachment of the other over its surface. The haliards, by which those studding-sails are hoisted, are accordingly passed through the jewel-blocks; whence, communicating with a block on the top-mast-head, they lead downwards to the top or decks, where they may be conveniently hoisted.