NAVY BOARD-STYLE MODEL OF A CAPTURED REVOLUTIONARY WAR PRIVATEER, HMS BEAVER'S PRIZE (1777)
A model built by H. Philips in the manner of an 18th century Admiralty and Navy Boards, with open frames below painted main wale, open gun ports, semi-planked deck with fittings and cut-away masts, contained within a glazed display case. Overall measurements: 15¾ x 31½in.
Little is known of this vessel except that she was built in Philadelphia, owned by four merchants, and fitted out as a privateer in early 1777. Her captor described the Oliver Cromwell as a very handsome ship, well found, with ports for all her guns and able to fight her crew under cover. Her battery was noted as twelve (or fourteen) 9-pounders, six 6-pounders, and six 4-pounders. She had sailed with 150 men aboard, but only had 125 aboard at the time of her capture off St. Lucia by HMS Beaver on 19 May 1777. Initially classed as a sixth rate mounting 24 guns, she was sent home to England in 1778 and refitted at Sheerness as a sloop of 263 tons, and armed with sixteen 6-pounders and renamed Beaver's Prize. Returning to the Caribbean where much of the naval activity of the American War was taking place, she was one of six vessels of the fleet lost in the aptly named 'Great Hurricane' which devastated the West Indies, particularly the Windward Islands, St. Lucia and Barbados, with great force on 11 th October 1780. Beaver's Prize was on passage from St. Lucia to Barbados when the hurricane struck. Caught in the eye of the storm, she was driven ashore near the Vieux Fort on St. Lucia with the loss of all but 17 of her crew of 110, including her captain, Commander John Drummond.
Item #120Price: $1,600.00