the ship with a musical movement mounted within the hull and connected to a circular platform revolving with seven dancing figures, the hull  supported on a green silk simulated choppy sea, the rolling and pitching mechanism driven by a fusee and chain movement concealed within a later Austrian burr wood cabinet containing a further Swiss cylinder musical movement, the inside of base with a handwritten label 'Pilloy, joaillier, rue bourg-l'Abbé, 20, Paris, 25 December 1821', in a glazed dome

several minor losses to the boat, the top flag to be fixed, some silver / metal ropes broken, extremely dirty. but very nice quality and nice model. the automaton movement complete but the main spring is broken and fusee chain detached, all extremely dirty. Subsidiary musical movement not working and with damaged to the combteeth musical. The automaton mouvement within the hull not inspected and not working. All control leavers lacking.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The birth of Henri d'Artois, son of the Duchesse de Berry, on 29 September 1820 was celebrated throughout the Kingdom of France. The 'Miracle Child', born seven months after his father the Duc de Berry's assassination, was the only heir of the royal Bourbon dynasty, his uncle King Louis XVIII being childless and a widower. His christian name was Dieudonné (God given), like his ancestor Louis XIV. Several engravings and the detailed story of his birth¹ were widely published, commemorating a particularly touching moment: following the legend of Henri IV's birth, the King rubbed a garlic clove specially sent from Pau on the baby's lips followed by a few drops of Jurançon wine. He also bestowed the title of Duc de Bordeaux upon the child, in accordance with his promise to acknowledge the loyalty of the town towards the Bourbon family following its support in 1814.

Sharing the national jubilation, Victor Hugo and Alphonse de Lamartine each published an Ode sur la naissance du Duc de Bordeaux, and on the initiative of the author François-René, Vicomte de Chateaubriand (1768-1848), a commemorative bronze medal was issued by public subscription (see Lot 439). It was at this time that the celebrated cradle, now in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, was occupied by the child for whom it had been created.  

In addition to this, the port of the archipel du Frioul, opposite Marseille, was renamed Dieudonné, and a new Ocean Class 118-gun battleship Inflexible was renamed Duc de Bordeaux. Designed by Jacques-Noël Sané in 1788, this was the largest ship ever built up until then. It marked a leap in the evolution of the ship of the line design and initiated a new phase of naval combat, the class being the most powerful ships in service during the Napoleonic Wars.

Many gifts were given to the baby duke on the occasion of his birth, and on his christening in May 1821, including, by family tradition, this silver ship. Louis XVIII, for example, presented to his nephew a magnificent Sèvres porcelain gueridon exhibited in the Exposition des produits des Manufactures royales in 1821². In spite of the handwritten label dated 25 December 1821, it is not known exactly when this very fine silver model of the ship was made. A silver and gold ship was however exhibited in the Exposition des produits de l'industrie française of 1823³ by Pilloy, Joaillier rue Bourg-l'Abbé in Paris on which this comment was made: 'the sails are of silver, rendered beautifully transparent, and bent before the wind. The manufacture of this article must have taken at least six months, and the materials also are of no slight value⁴'.

 

1. Naissance de Monseigneur Henri-Charles-Ferdinand-Marie-Dieudonné, Duc de Bordeaux, Fils de France, né à Paris, le 29 Septembre 1820 à deux heures trente-cinq minutes du matin, chez A. Le Roy, imprimeur du Roi, 1820.
2. Entre Cour et Jardin, Marie-Caroline, Duchesse de Berry, exhibition catalogue, Sceaux, 2007, p. 59
3. Rapport du Jury Central sur les Produits de l'Industrie Française, Louis-Etienne-François Héricart de Thury (vicomte), 1825.
4. The European Magazine, September 1823, pp. 239 and 244