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A French prisoner-of-war bone model of the 38 gun 5th Rate frigate Melpomene 1792, early 19th century, image 1

Lot 63

A French prisoner-of-war bone model of the 38 gun 5th Rate frigate Melpomene 1792,
early 19th century,

The Marine Sale

15 April 2014, 14:00 BST

London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £4,250 inc. premium

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A French prisoner-of-war bone model of the 38 gun 5th Rate frigate Melpomene 1792, early 19th century,

the pinned and planked hull with horn strakes, carved and painted warrior figurehead, three masts with standing and running rigging, carved and stern and quarter gallery decoration, deck with hair rails, anchors, catheads, capstan, belaying rails, ship's bell and ship's boat in chocks, mounted on two tier stand with pierced bone surround and straw-work platform, in modern glazed case with name plaque, probably from the Parker Gallery, the model 7.5x9ins. (9x23cm)

Footnotes

Provenance
Christies London lot 312 10th November 1994

Built at Toulon in 1792 as La Melpomene she was taken at the surrender of Calvi to Admiral Hood's Fleet on 10 August 1794 and was commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Melpomene a year later. She was converted to a Troopship in 1810 and sold for breaking in 1815.

The name plaque erroneously describes her as a 44 gun Frigate, and the model actually carries 46.

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