Ship in Bottle Diorama "Seamaid" English Circa 1920

This is a very fine example of the art of building a model ship in a glass bottle. It is constructed in a large rectangular whiskey bottle. The ship is a three masted barque named Seamaid circa 1870 and made in Glasgow. It is modelled in full sail and intricately rigged with great detail to the deck with side rails, life rafts and cabins all in perfect scale. It is set onto a choppy sea which is modelled in clay or plaster with a stormy sky all of which have been beautifully hand painted. The bottle is sealed with a cork and wooden wedges and finished on the exterior of the bottle with woven hemp string in a platted design and sealed with red wax. The bottle has an indistinct engraved glass inscription on the reverse giving detail of the ship type and where it was made. This is a very good ship in a bottle, finely crafted and in excellent condition. British, circa 1920 Height 10.5cm x width 28cm x depth 7.5cm