Original British Napoleonic Wood Chip Ink Blotter from HMS Victory Original Items

Original Item: One-of-a-kind. This is a genuine 19th century ink blotter constructed from the Oak timbers officially removed from Great Britain’s most famous naval battle ship; the HMS Victory. Admiral Nelson’s flag ship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

H.M.S.Victory is still a serving vessel in the Royal Navy even after 252 years. It sits in dry dock in Portsmouth in England. The vessel was terribly damaged at the Battle of Trafalgar in which Nelson was killed. There was an enormous storm immediately following the battle and many of the captured “prize vessels” sank. The Victory was very lucky to survive. It was put into dry dock and maintained ever since as a National treasure.

At the time of the initial repairs in 1806 and thereafter any removed scraps of wood that had been present at the great battle were eagerly sought to convert to small mementos in order to generate much needed revenue.

This ink blotter is such an item, missing the screw-on “handling knob”, it consists of the main blotter oak body measuring 6″ x 3″ x 1” and bears the original large brass commemoration plaque fully engraved as follows:

A CHIP OFF THE VICTORY
1ST RATE LENGTH 186 Ft BREADTH 52 Ft 2162 TONS 104 GUNS COMPLIMENT 837
1782 RELIEF OF GIBRALTAR
1797 BATTLE OF CAPE St VINCENT
1805 BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR
LAUNCHED AT CHATHAM 7th MAY 1765

Clearly very old and totally authentic, a treasured item for any red blooded Englishman of the Napoleonic era and generations since. A small original piece of Britain’s “Naval” Holy Grail.