Beschreibung:

An exceptional and large Napoleonic prisoner-of-war bone model of H.M.S. Prince of Wales , a 98-gun Second Rate ship-of- the-line, circa 1800
An exceptional and large Napoleonic prisoner-of-war bone model of H.M.S. Prince of Wales , a 98-gun Second Rate ship-of- the-line, circa 1800 The hull, built up over a wooden plug, which has been hollowed, planked and pinned in bone from the keel to the waterline and from the waterline up, alternating in horn and bone between the gunports. At the bow is a delicately carved figurehead in the form of a Roman warrior with a feathered headdress with residual polychrome colouring, peak rails carved in relief with a swag pattern and the figure of a mermaid, the bowsprit rigged with a forked dolphin stryker. The deck is planked and pinned in bone and detailed with pin and fife rails, gunports, deck-rings, cleats, capstan, belfry with brass bell, a pair of ship's boats as well as a launch and gig, pierced deck gratings, deck-rings, water casks and barrels, boxed compass, stairway, skylight and deckhouse, and other details. The stern is fitted with decorated quarter and stern galleries which are carved and pierced, and detailed in relief with geometric motifs, and, at the base of each quarter gallery, with a sun and palm fronds. The windows are glazed in mica. The transom, supporting a pair of davits with a carved wooden launch with bone seats, and decorated with a lion and unicorn centered on a crown and royal cross, a pair of angels adorning either side, with further mythological and floral motifs, two balconies with carved posts and railings. Her name Prince of Wales carved in relief on the lower portion of the transom just above the rudder post, with a pair of pulls for retractable cannons. The rigging includes a bowsprit and three masts, each mast with tops, trees, cross spars and stun' sail booms, the aft rail of tops decorated with polychrome ornamentation in a Royal motif with flags and cannons, and the top of each rail fitted with a pair of rail cannons on swivels. The standing and running rigging includes ratlines running up from bone chain plates, and rigged with bone deadeyes and bead fairleads. Most of the turning blocks are also either of bone or beads, other parts of the standing rigging includes stays, shrouds, intermediate shrouds, and running backstays. Running rigging includes sheets, halyards, topping lifts, bracing lines, and other rigged details. displayed on a pair of modern carved walnut dolphin cradles within a period glass and wood framed vitrine, on a modern plinth the model, 42½ x 15 x 32½ in. (108 x 38.2 x 82.5 cm.) the case, 62 x 22½ x 82 in. (157.5 x 57.2 x 208.4 cm.) See back cover illustration