Lot 142
Nelson Horatio 1758 - 1805 A commemorative plaque made from the copper sheathing and oak recovered from Horatio Nelson's flagship, the H.M.S.Victory
A 5.5" x 6.25" plaque affixed to an 8.5" x 10" oak base cut in the shape of a shield, recovered from the copper sheathing of the H.M.S. Victory, commemorating the centenary of the Battle of Trafalgar and Nelson's death: "Centenary Memento Oct. 21st 1905. Containing copper from HMS Victory from Lords of the Admiralty to British & Foreign Sailor's Society." Like the copper, the oak is believed to have been recovered from the H.M.S. Victory. Light wear and a hint of oxidation.
Following the battle of Trafalgar, the H.M.S. Victory was badly damaged and could not return under the power of its own sail. After delivering Nelson's body to London, the Victory was repaired and remained in active service until 1812, when she was moored at Portsmouth. The ship served as a training ship for some time, but by the turn of the 20th century, it had deteriorated so badly that in 1910, a group of enthusiasts established the Society for Nautical Research to help with funds. Restoration of the ship was finally completed well after the close of the Second World War, the last repairs not completed until 2005, just in time for the bicentennial of Trafalgar. Today, it is the oldest commissioned warship in the world and attracts over 350,000 visitors as a museum ship. To help fund its restoration efforts, the Society for Nautical Research took unusable parts, including nails and copper sheathing, and melted them down to be refashioned as souvenirs.
Provenance: Society for Nautical Research; obtained by the War Museum from a prominent British naval family collection, which had additionally featured relics from the noted Benjamin Hill Collection... that holding included one of the largest swatches of Nelson's ensign that flew at Trafalgar in private hands. Some of these relics were featured in a recently-published peer-reviewed article, a copy of which has been included for reference.
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