A FINELY EXECUTED AND DETAILED 1:75 SCALE MODEL OF H.M.S. BE...

Estimate

£4,000 - £6,000

A FINELY EXECUTED AND DETAILED 1:75 SCALE MODEL OF H.M.S. BEAULIEU [1790]

the 20in. carved hull copper-sheathed below the waterline and scored above, with scored decks complete with detailed wood and metal fittings and armament as appropriate, including suite of 3 fully-fitted longboats over well deck, bound masts painted buff yellow below the fighting tops, yards with s'tun'sl booms, finely detailed standing and running rigging with sheathed blocks, mounted in glazed wooden case with giltwood detailed plate and maker's labels inscribed Model of H.M.S. Beaulieu - 1790 constructed by Charles H. Middleton in 18 years of spare time work -- 26 x 36 x 14in. (66 x 91.5 x 35.5cm.); together with an original account of ordnance stores for H.M.S. Beaulieu dated 1795 and signed by Capt. Edward Riou and a quantity of historical data of the ship including its construction, history and biography of Riou

(A lot)

A 5th Rate of 40-guns, Beaulieu was built at Buckler's Hard by Henry Adams and registered 1,019 tons before being fitted and coppered at Portsmouth. Perfectly timed for the commencement of War with revolutionary France, Beaulieu was kept busy from the start in 1793 and had a host of famous commanders including the Earl of Northesk; Edward Riou; Henry Baytun and Francis Laforey to name but a few, the last three serving with Nelson at the Nile or Trafalgar. She served with Jervis at the Capture of Martinique and the Battle of Cape St. Vincent and has a long list of prizes attached to her, not the least of which is the cutting out of the 20-gun La Chevrette from Cameret Bay in 1801. This proved to be her last flourish as she was laid up for the Peace of 1802-3 and apart from a trip to the Leeward Islands in 1805, was sent for breaking in 1806.