A RARE FIGUREHEAD MAQUETTE FOR THE CLIPPER SHIP ABERGELDIE BUILT BY JOHN DUTHIE, SONS & CO., ABERDEEN, 1869

in the form of a 34in. high full-length highland clansman, wearing a tam o’shanter and tartans with sporran and holding a claymore handle, depicted stepping forward on a plinth base -- 53in. (134.5cm.) high overall

The full-rigged Abergeldie was built in Aberdeen by Messrs. Duthie and launched in April 1869. Owned by her builders for almost her entire career, she was intended for the lucrative Australian wool trade and was widely regarded as a particularly strong and handsome vessel. With her fine lines, stout construction – including iron deck beams – and lofty sail plan, she entered service under the command of Captain James Duthie with high expectations from all concerned, especially as she had cost more than practically any other Aberdeen-built ship before her.

On her maiden voyage, she left Aberdeen on 17th May (1869) in company with another brand new clipper, the Centurion, and the two of them raced to London with Abergeldie getting in first at 3.20am on the 21st. Despite this, she proved steady and reliable rather than a record-breaker, although many of her homeward passages were better than average. After an uneventful six years, she was badly damaged in “a furious gale” just after leaving Sydney early in November 1875 and forced to return there for significant repairs to all her upper masts. In October 1879, whilst at sea, she suffered a serious fire below decks but when the hatches were unsealed after four days, the fire had fortunately extinguished itself due to lack of air. Early in 1884, she was again damaged in a gale and forced to limp back to Sydney for further repairs estimated at £800. Sadly, the autumn of 1889 proved a watershed and barely three weeks after a brief stranding on the Thames foreshore after colliding with the barge Aldeborough off Barking, she was then in another collision, this time fatal, at the beginning of November. After twenty years in the wool trade, she had been sold by Duthies after the stranding in the Thames and was bought by Messrs. J. Rust & Co., timber merchants. Leaving London with a cargo of iron on 23rd October 1889, bound for Sundsvall (Sweden), and there to load timber for Melbourne, she collided with the S.S. Eden, of West Hartlepool, off the Norwegian coast and sank almost immediately although all her crew were picked up by the British steamer.

Condition Report

claymore lacking blade, paintwork sympathetically restored

We are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of this property. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Charles Miller Ltd is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD “AS IS” IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE.