A large ornamental casket made from the oak and copper of HM...

Hammer

£1,500

A large ornamental casket made from the oak and copper of HMS Foudroyant, Nelson's flagship 1799-1801, plain top with lids to compartments on side and raised centre with recumbent copper lion, at each corner a copper figure of crowned Neptune elongated to form the feet of the casket, "secret" opening front and back panels with 3 masted warship Foudroyant (front) and hulk (back), at each end a copper oval embossed with head and shoulders of Nelson (right) and probably Hardy (left), inside the front panel is a copper plate "Manufactured from the oak and copper salved from Nelson's Foudroyant" and the name of the firm "Woodall, Long & Heighway Ltd, Manchester who purchased the Foudroyant after her long and chequered career was ended in 1897 when she was wrecked in a violent storm at Blackpool ironically on her way to the shipyards to be preserved for the nation, (photostat details with lot); height (max) 15" x 24" x 16". Basically Good Condition for age, with a pleasing dark patina (section of lid under the lion loose, dark patina to copper) Plate 17