Late 19th Century Sailor’s Woolie of a Four Masted Barque, circa 1880

Late 19th Century Sailor’s Woolie of a Four Masted Barque, circa 1880, a handcrafted sailor’s woolwork picture depicting a starboard side view of a four master with square rigged fore, main and mizzen, a fore-and-aft rigged fourth mast, under full running rigging with all sails set, all top sails and staysails flying, set against a vivid sky and sea, rendered in primarily a long stitch, with silk threads used for the gunports and some deck fittings, signed in yarn by the sailor “Jack Torribon” in the lower right. Mounted in it’s original oak frame with a metallic gold finished mat.

At the height of the age of sail most ocean-going windjammers were four-masted barques, because they required less crew, were easier to handle and better at going to windward than a full-rigged ship, and downwind they could outperform a schooner or barquentine. While a full-rigged ship is the best runner available, and fore-and-aft rigged vessels are the best at going to windward, the barque was the best compromise which combined the best elements of the two.

The woolie remains in very good condition with bright colors and no discernible damage. The metallic finished mat has developed a good amount of unusual and rather cool verdigris tarnish. The woolie was mounted a little shy of the mat so that some of the unworked edge is exposed to view.

Measures: 15 in H x 21-1/4 in W
Framed: 21-1/2 in H x 28-1/8 in W