7th Jul, 2020 10:00
Maritime and Scientific Models, Instruments & Art (Unshaken)
44
[M] A FULL SCALE REPLICA OF THE 'LUTINE' BELL, PROBABLY 19TH CENTURY AFTER THE ORIGINAL OF 1779 RECOVERED IN 1858 AND NOW HANGING IN LLOYD'S OF LONDON
A FULL SCALE REPLICA OF THE LUTINE BELL, PROBABLY 19TH CENTURY AFTER THE ORIGINAL OF 1779 RECOVERED IN 1858 AND NOW HANGING IN LLOYD'S OF LONDON
heavily cast in bell metal with original French inscription reading Saint Jean 1779, with crucifix and fleur-de-lys device, moulded rim and shoulder complete with suspension crown and clapper -- 20 x 18in. (51 x 46cm); together with associated wood, metal and twine stand -- 51in. (129.5cm) high
(2)
Built at Toulon in 1779, La Lutine was a 36-gun frigate of 950 tons and was one of a number surrendered to Admiral Lord Hood in 1793 by French Royalists keen not to let them fall into the hands of the revolutionaries. After a refit in Gibraltar, she returned to England under the command of William Haggit and entered the Navy List as the 5th Rate H.M.S. Lutine. Four years later and now under the command of Captain Lancelot Skynner, she sailed from the Yarmouth Roads laden with merchant's gold and coin for payment of British troops in Holland. Setting sail from Woolwich on 8th October 1799, a strong gale whipped up from the NNW after midnight and she struck a sandbank between Terschelling and Vlieland sinking immediately with the loss of all hands save two who were plucked from the sea the next morning by the Espiegle cutter, but one died soon after. Salvage attempts began almost immediately with a fortune of over £55,000 being recovered over the next two years by local fisherman and boatman. Her bell was found tangled in her steering chains and recovered on 17th July, 1858. It was donated to the famous insurance underwriters Lloyd's of London and hangs in the underwriters' room to this day. Traditionally the bell was sounded to ensure that all brokers and underwriters were made aware of news simultaneously: once for the loss of a ship, and twice for her return. The bell has since developed a crack and the traditional practice of ringing news has sadly ended: the last time it was rung to tell of a lost ship was in 1979 and the last time it was rung to herald the return of an overdue ship was in 1989.
Sold for £3,472
Estimated at £3,000 - £5,000
(inc. buyer's premium of 24%)
A FULL SCALE REPLICA OF THE LUTINE BELL, PROBABLY 19TH CENTURY AFTER THE ORIGINAL OF 1779 RECOVERED IN 1858 AND NOW HANGING IN LLOYD'S OF LONDON
heavily cast in bell metal with original French inscription reading Saint Jean 1779, with crucifix and fleur-de-lys device, moulded rim and shoulder complete with suspension crown and clapper -- 20 x 18in. (51 x 46cm); together with associated wood, metal and twine stand -- 51in. (129.5cm) high
(2)
Built at Toulon in 1779, La Lutine was a 36-gun frigate of 950 tons and was one of a number surrendered to Admiral Lord Hood in 1793 by French Royalists keen not to let them fall into the hands of the revolutionaries. After a refit in Gibraltar, she returned to England under the command of William Haggit and entered the Navy List as the 5th Rate H.M.S. Lutine. Four years later and now under the command of Captain Lancelot Skynner, she sailed from the Yarmouth Roads laden with merchant's gold and coin for payment of British troops in Holland. Setting sail from Woolwich on 8th October 1799, a strong gale whipped up from the NNW after midnight and she struck a sandbank between Terschelling and Vlieland sinking immediately with the loss of all hands save two who were plucked from the sea the next morning by the Espiegle cutter, but one died soon after. Salvage attempts began almost immediately with a fortune of over £55,000 being recovered over the next two years by local fisherman and boatman. Her bell was found tangled in her steering chains and recovered on 17th July, 1858. It was donated to the famous insurance underwriters Lloyd's of London and hangs in the underwriters' room to this day. Traditionally the bell was sounded to ensure that all brokers and underwriters were made aware of news simultaneously: once for the loss of a ship, and twice for her return. The bell has since developed a crack and the traditional practice of ringing news has sadly ended: the last time it was rung to tell of a lost ship was in 1979 and the last time it was rung to herald the return of an overdue ship was in 1989.
Auction: Maritime and Scientific Models, Instruments & Art (Unshaken), 7th Jul, 2020
Unless government advice changes, we will be proceeding with our 7th July sale, starting at 10am, as a live webcast. Please note the following changes to our usual format:
THIS SALE WILL BE CONDUCTED LIVE ONLINE ONLY
Viewing by appointment only at our Fulham offices. Please call 020 7806 5530 or email enquiries@charlesmillerltd.com to make an appointment.
You will not be able to bid live in the room. Absentee bids may be left via the website or using a bid form or you can bid via one of three online platforms. Unfortunately, we cannot offer telephone bidding for this sale
- UKAuctioneers.com – this service offers a choice of either paying a one-off £3.95 flat fee for the sale and no further charges; or 3% of the hammer price. Charles Miller Ltd will refund successful buyers who bid via the £3.95 flat fee
- The-Saleroom.com – charges 5% of the hammer price
- Invaluable.com – charges 3% of the hammer price
Lots may not be collected on the day of sale. Collection begins from 10am, Wednesday, 8th July and must be booked in advance.You may also appoint a third party or a shipper to collect on your behalf. Please note that we require your written authority to release to a third party.
Payment is due in sterling at the conclusion of the sale and before purchases can be released. We cannot accept payment in cash at this time. Our preferred method of payment is by electronic bank transfer and amounts over £2,000 must be made by this method. There is a limit of £2,000 on debit cards and £300 on credit cards.
Invoice of under £300 may be paid through our website: https://www.charlesmillerltd.com/account/makepayment
Viewing
VIEWING BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
You may view by appointment at our Imperial Road Studios during office hours - please call on +44 (0)20 7806 5530 or email enquiries@charlesmillerltd.com to make an appointment.
