Georgian Tumbler Engraved With Side Paddle-Wheel Steamship c1830

Description

Heading : Nutical engraved Georgian tumbler
Date : c1820-40
Period : George III- Victoria
Origin : England
Colour : Clear
Bowl : Tapered.
Pontil : Ground and polished.
Glass Type : Lead
Size : 11cm tall. 9.5  cm bowl and 6 cm foot
Condition : Excellent. no chips or cracks
Restoration : None
Weight :421 grams

The bowl is engraved with a rose. thistle and shamrocks. a composite symbol of the act of union in 1801. The side paddle-wheel steamship is a commercial vessel. not a frigate. There are no gun ports. these are windows and there woud be insufficient to make up the twenty eight or later twenty gun requirement to be classified a frigate. We believe the stern to resemble that of the SS Great Britain launched in 1843.

This is a sea going side paddle-steamship the first being launched in 1808 in the USA. It was not until 1816 that the first was built in Europe. The Royal Navy did not build its first side paddle-wheel powered wooden vessel until the development of the cyclops class in 1839.

The famous tug of war conducted by the Royal Navy a contest between a screw driven steam ship and paddle driven steam ship in 1845 following the huge success of the Great Britain was simply a marketing exercise. They had already ordered five with two additional being negotiated before the event.

The “Union” engraving indicates that this is British ship. It is mercantile.