an antique ship in a box of a passenger steam/sailing ship of the type commonly seen around 1870. the ships funnel is painted red with a black top, a colour scheme used by the Cunard Line. the detail the maker has gone into suggests that it would have been made by someone who had a close relationship with the ship, a crew member perhaps. the ship in a box has a name on the back board " Ann Hester ", it is likely the name is a dedication rather than the name of the ship. the ship is set within a painted glazed pine box, with a painted simulated sea backdrop. the ship sails on a carved painted sea.
Some ships had both steam and sail as early steam engines were unreliable, they used a lot of fuel and ships couldn't carry enough coal for long voyages, this made sails necessary for efficiency, long distances and as back up propulsion. The steam engine was used in situations where speed was critical or wind was absent, such as entering or leaving harbours, while sails were used for long-distance travel to conserve fuel.
height ... 385mm width ... 595mm depth ... 200mm
