Hand from a female figurehead

A white-painted female left hand holding a posy. The wrist, bearing a bracelet, protrudes from the sleeve of a gown with an incised quatrefoil lace pattern. Female figureheads often hold a flower or nosegay to their breast. This detached piece is similar but has a locating lug at the wrist, so is more likely to have fitted on a more extended arm. It may have been designed to be fitted only when in harbour, figureheads often having such pieces (especially extended arms) that were removed at sea to avoid breakage and loss. See FHD0035 for a similar fragment and FHD0036 for a figurehead fitted for a detachable arm.

Object Details

ID: FHD0028
Collection: Figureheads
Type: Figurehead
Display location: Not on display
Date made: 19th century
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Valhalla Collection
Measurements: Overall: 508 x 229 mm