Old ships' figureheads photo

[druxey]

I just came across an interesting photo which shows half a dozen ships' figures mounted on a building in London:

 

https://spitalfieldslife.com/2020/09/24/william-whiffin-photographer-x/

 

Scroll down to the sixth image. I cannot reproduce it here to respect the copyright. It appears to have been taken in about 1900. The old Shot Tower on the South Bank (dismantled in about 1950) features in the first photograph of the series.

[MEDDO]

That’s a wonderful find there.  

[bruce d]

Good photos, and I especially liked the entire collecton. I used to work about two minutes walk from one of the London East End photos and recognised it immediately.

 

Back to the subject: here are some figurehead images collected over time from The National Archives UK. They are drawings in a file of assorted subjects and do not have additional descriptions beyond what is on each page. In context, it is possible these were proposals submitted to Their Lordships for figureheads and may or may not reflect what was actually chosen. Pretty, ain't they?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe there are some more out there?

 

Bruce

[Keithbrad80]

6 hours ago, bruce d said:

Good photos, and I especially liked the entire collecton. I used to work about two minutes walk from one of the London East End photos and recognised it immediately.

 

Back to the subject: here are some figurehead images collected over time from The National Archives UK. They are drawings in a file of assorted subjects and do not have additional descriptions beyond what is on each page. In context, it is possible these were proposals submitted to Their Lordships for figureheads and may or may not reflect what was actually chosen. Pretty, ain't they?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe there are some more out there?

 

Bruce

Wow these are pretty incredible! Thanks for sharing 

 

[bruce d]

Found this in an old auction catalogue.

 

 

Part of the marine collection of the William Bell Chambers R.N. sold off in 1925.

 

[bruce d]

Part of the estate auction of Max Williams, 1928.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bruce d]

From the estate auction of Commander William Barrett R. N., 1928.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bruce d]

From the estate of Nelson Dawson, 1924.

 

 

 

 

[bruce d]

Other 1920s auctions:

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[druxey]

Interesting catalog, Bruce! Unfortunately Nereus of 1821 is nothing like the model shown. See:

 

https://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/81806.html

 

The style of the model in the catalog looks later 18th century, not 19th. The 1821 ship had 38 guns and was considerably less sleek! The model appears to look similar to Speedy of 1781, but the tiny ports make me suspect that this was a merchant vessel, not a naval one. See:

 

https://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/84422.html

[bruce d]

23 minutes ago, druxey said:

Interesting catalog, Bruce! Unfortunately Nereus of 1821 is nothing like the model shown.

An auction catalogue with an error? Surely not!

[bruce d]

Another, from a 1928 sale.

 

[druxey]

Nice carved statue, but I doubt whether it was ever a figurehead. It stands nicely on its pedestal.

[bruce d]

1 hour ago, druxey said:

I doubt whether it was ever a figurehead.

At a height of 55 inches it may have been a decoration but I agree it seems short for a figurehead, even on a barge, but that is what the book says ...

[bruce d]

Figure head from Lafitte's Le Gaspillarde, part of an auction in 1938. I will not post the original description due to the dated wording in the text.

 

 

[Boxbuilds]

These are great examples.  I admire the craftsmanship and artistry that went into figureheads.  It's amazing that they have weathered time as well as many have.  

[bruce d]

From 'The Strand' magazine on the Naval Exhibition of 1891:

 

[druxey]

A ship named for the clown Grimaldi?!

[bruce d]

... and a drawing of the correct figurehead for Victory at Trafalgar. These old magazines have their uses.

[bruce d]

[shipman]

Late to this one. The first collection has a photograph of the junction, Hackney Road and Cambridge Heath Road. I lived just a stone's throw from there for 10 years, yet I found it unrecognisable. So much of that area was flattened during the WW2 blitz.

[bruce d]

40 minutes ago, shipman said:

Hackney Road and Cambridge Heath Road

Remember the 24 hour cafe at the top of Bethnal Green Road?

Edited November 30, 2020 by bruce d

[bruce d]

Ship is not identified, part of the Bostonian Society collection.

 

[bruce d]

Found this old model of Triumph (1764). There is a general resemblance to some of the 'Triumph' images in post#3. I have no way of checking this out at The National Archives due to lockdown, but it may be that those unattributed sketches in post#3 were proposals for an 'English' figurehead to replace the existing item after her capture from the French.

 

 

[bruce d]

[bruce d]

[bruce d]

Figurehead of the BRITANNIA in the grounds of the Naval College, Dartmouth.

 

[bruce d]

Figureheads of H. M. S. Marlboro'. & Duke of Wellington.

 

[bruce d]

H. M. S. Warrior

 

 

[bruce d]

H. M. S. Bellerophone. Figurehead (note spelling: this is according to Imperial War Museum, location not specified)