Original Items: Only one set available. This is a remarkable piece of British maritime history. In the description of the painting titled ‘The Fall of Nelson, Battle of Trafalgar, 21 October 1805’ by Denis Dighton and in the collection of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich… ‘ In the left centre of the picture, beyond the gunner in the foreground, a powder monkey has been hit and clutches his left hip, in a gesture imitating that of Nelson’. These buckets are remarkably similar in form to the one offered here.
Constructed of staved wood barrel with three bolsters, then covered with canvas in and out, having brass circular lashing hardware affixed with copper, hand peened rivets for fastening a carrying strap. Overall painted blue and decorated on the front with the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom. This dates from sometime in the 19th century.
By the way, the ‘monkeys’ were the boys running the powder charges from the magazine below deck to the cannons. Each cannon had his own “Monkey”. That was the time of Admiral Nelson and the Napoleonic War.
Size: Diameter 5 inches; Height 12 inches.
Weight: 3 lbs.
Condition: Very Good Antique Condition. Paint and gilt losses, drying of canvas surfaces. Original paint with gilding that shows much age and craquelure in the surfaces.