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Model Boat

ca. 1800 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Guangzhou (made)
China (made)

This carved ivory model of a boat was mounted on wheels powered by a clockwork motor that no longer works. Mechanized models of this sort, together with similarly powered pavilions with moving figures and animals, were a popular souvenir item of Canton. This boat was brought to Britain by Richard Hall, a senior merchant of the East India Company, in about 1803.


Object details

Category
SCRAN
Object type
Model boat
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Fragments
  • Model
Materials and techniques
Ivory, carved and painted. Wood core
Ivory
Wood
Carved
Veneered
Brief description
Model of a boat, carved ivory on a wood core with clockwork engine, Guangzhou, China, Qing dynasty, ca. 1800
Physical description
Carved ivory model of a double-decked boat on a wood core, mounted on wheels powered by a clockwork motor which now no longer works. Upper deck made of wood, covered with a checkered layer of ivory and dark hardwood veneer tiles, the rest of the junk is constructed mainly from intricately carved elephant ivory panels. Figures of oarsmen around the perimeter of the junk are all painted ivory; all of the other figures are painted alabaster. The pigments all have a water-based medium (possibly a gum) and many have faded substantially. The umbrella and flags on the stern are all made from silk.
Dimensions
  • Including flags length: 81cm
  • Including oars width: 35cm
  • Height: 81cm
Re-measured at the time of Encounters 2004
Style
Qing
Gallery label
  • MODEL OF A CHINESE JUNK. Ivory. A.6-1936(pre 2005)
  • 80 MODEL OF A BOAT Carved and painted ivory, with clockwork motor About 1800 Length 70 cm A.6-1936 Hall Bequest(pre 2005)
Credit line
A.J. Hall Bequest
Object history
Such mechanized models, together with similarly powered pavilions with moving figures and animals, were a popular souvenir item of Canton. It was brought to England by Richard Hall, a senior merchant of the English East India Company, in about 1803.
Subjects depicted
Junk
Oarsman
Summary
This carved ivory model of a boat was mounted on wheels powered by a clockwork motor that no longer works. Mechanized models of this sort, together with similarly powered pavilions with moving figures and animals, were a popular souvenir item of Canton. This boat was brought to Britain by Richard Hall, a senior merchant of the East India Company, in about 1803.
Bibliographic references
  • Clunas, Craig. Chinese Carving. London: Sun Tree Publishing Ltd in association with the Victoria & Albert Museum, 1996. p. 25, fig. 17.
  • Jackson, Anna & Jaffer, Amin (eds.) Encounters : the meeting of Asia and Europe 1500-1800, London, V&A, 2004 p.261 .
  • Clunas, Craig. Chinese Export Art & Design. London: V&A publications, 1987. photograph on p. 101, no. 79.
Other number
74730 to 74732 - Negative number
Collection
East Asia Collection
Accession number
A.6-1936

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Record createdFebruary 6, 2003
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O73966/model-boat-unknown/
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