Pendant Ship thumbnail 1
Pendant Ship thumbnail 2
+1
images
On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Pendant Ship

ca. 1580 (made)



People
By family tradition the pendant was a present from Elizabeth I to Henry Carey, (1526-1596), 1st Baron Hunsdon, first cousin of The Queen. He was the son of Mary Boleyn, sister of Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth's mother. He had a prominent career as a courtier and soldier. He played an important role in the suppression of the rebellion of the northern earls in 1570, was appointed Lord Chamberlain in 1586, and was a commissioner at the trial of Mary, Queen of Scots in 1587. When the Armada threatened in 1588, he commanded Elizabeth's bodyguard at Tilbury in 1588.

Places
This is one of the four Hunsdon jewels which have long been associated with Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire and have been lent as a group to the British Galleries. One of the jewels, the Hunsdon Onyx, is mentioned specifically in the will of George Carey (1547-1603), 2nd Baron Hunsdon, dated 10 May 1599.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Brief description
Hunsdon jewel, Pendant in the shape of a ship; wooden hull mounted in enamelled gold, the rigging strung with pearls; Europe, about 1580
Physical description
Pendant in the shape of a ship. Wooden hull mounted in enamelled gold, the rigging strung with pearls.
Dimensions
  • Height: 72mm
  • Width: 51mm
  • Copied from ois april 2008 depth: 14mm
Gallery label
Treasures of the Royal Courts: Tudors, Stuarts and the Russian Tsars label text:

The Hunsdon Ship Pendant
About 1580

The hull of this ship bristles with cannon and a winged figure of Victory sounds a trumpet. A small boat with oars forms a pendant. Elizabeth I received a number of jewelled ships among the New Year
gifts presented by courtiers. By tradition this ship was a gift from Elizabeth to her first cousin, Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon.

Western Europe
Wood, gold, enamel, pearls, table-cut diamonds
Trustees of the Berkeley Will Trust
V&A Loan:Met.Anon.2:3-1998
Credit line
Lent from the collections at Berkeley Castle
Summary


People
By family tradition the pendant was a present from Elizabeth I to Henry Carey, (1526-1596), 1st Baron Hunsdon, first cousin of The Queen. He was the son of Mary Boleyn, sister of Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth's mother. He had a prominent career as a courtier and soldier. He played an important role in the suppression of the rebellion of the northern earls in 1570, was appointed Lord Chamberlain in 1586, and was a commissioner at the trial of Mary, Queen of Scots in 1587. When the Armada threatened in 1588, he commanded Elizabeth's bodyguard at Tilbury in 1588.

Places
This is one of the four Hunsdon jewels which have long been associated with Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire and have been lent as a group to the British Galleries. One of the jewels, the Hunsdon Onyx, is mentioned specifically in the will of George Carey (1547-1603), 2nd Baron Hunsdon, dated 10 May 1599.
Bibliographic reference
Other number
Collection
Accession number
LOAN:MET ANON.2:3-1998

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJune 8, 2006
Record URL
Download as: JSON