Battle of Trafalgar. An ostrich egg, finely carved in shallow relief, circa 1805

Sold for £600

Battle of Trafalgar. An ostrich egg, finely carved in shallow relief, circa 1805, the 4 sides depicting half-length busts of the Commanders of four famous British naval victories: 1) Admiral Lord Howe, Glorious First of June, 1 June 1794; 2) Admiral John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent, Battle of Cape St Vincent, 14 February 1797; 3) Admiral Duncan, Battle of Camperdown, 11 October 1797; Admiral Lord Nelson, Battle of Trafalgar, 21 October 1805, each presented with backdrop drapery decorations and battle date in an oval rope medallion frame, the Commanders' names carved within the resulting lozenge frame around the central drill hole at the top of the egg and presented on flags draped from the trumpets blown by winged angels, the base showing Britannia within a hatched oval frame, and surrounded by additional naval and decorative motifs carved into the remaining blank areas, 15cm tall

(Qty: 1)

Provenance: Collection of Jack Webb (1923-2019), London.

A museum-standard piece showcasing virtuoso ostrich egg carving. The artist has left the work unsigned and Jack's notes suggest that it may have been made by a French Prisoner of War not long after the Battle of Trafalgar.