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ID #SA1196806
FOR SALE
£850
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19th Century Ceremonial Launching Mallet and Chisel
For sale by Martlesham Antiques
for sale €995     $1,080
£850

Martlesham Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Jan 2008
Browse dealers 279 items
  • Trade Associations
    Martlesham Antiques is a registered member of LAPADA 
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Id #SA1196806
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19th Century Ceremonial Launching Mallet and Chisel

19th century
Description

19th Century ceremonial launching carved mallet and chisel made out of boxwood, both the mallet and chisel having fabulous intricate carving including thistle which indicates they are more than likely Scottish. The purpose of the chisel was used to symbolically cut the final rope or "shore" holding the ship, while the mallet (or gavel) was used to strike it. Circa 1880.

10" x 5" x 2" thick

26cms x 13cms x 5cms thick

Date of Manufacture

Martlesham Antiques has dated this Victorian Ceremonial Launching Mallet to the 19th Century.

Independent Date Guide ID 09377642
Dealer's Item Date19th Century
Sellingantiques Date19th Century
Sellingantiques agingItem 120-160 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to THE 19TH CENTURY:
Deep relief carving with stippled grounds: hand carving before modern machine routing.
Honey-toned patina and handling wear on the grips: decades of careful handling.
Hand-forged steel blade with faceted bolster: Victorian tool-making practice.
Dense, fine-grained boxwood: traditional choice for high-relief 19th-century decorative work.

This Independent Date Guide was compiled by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. It works only from the photographs shown on this page and is never told the date the dealer has declared. It is a guide, not a guarantee of age, and occasional errors can occur.

Physical Dimensions
Height
26cm (10.24")
Width
13cm (5.12")
Depth
5cm (1.97")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1196806
Dealers Internal Reference
2808
Dealers Notes

We ship worldwide, please email for a shipping quote.

Martlesham Antiques is a family run business and has been trading since 1984. Located in Suffolk just outside Woodbridge, Martlesham Antiques is run from a spacious thatched cottage housing nine large showrooms with a vast adjacent car park.

Specialising in 18th and 19th Century furniture, together with creating custom hand-made furniture which is supplied to various interior designers, trade and the retail market. Every piece on the showroom floor is in excellent condition and ready to go straight into the buyers home or premises.

All of Martlesham Antiques furniture is hand polished by their own French polishers and restorers to a very high standard. We are also a member of LAPADA, the association of art and antiques.

Description
19th Century ceremonial launching carved mallet and chisel made out of boxwood, both the mallet and chisel having fabulous intricate carving including thistle which indicates they are more than likely Scottish.
“
The purpose of the chisel was used to symbolically cut the final rope or "shore" holding the ship, while the mallet (or gavel) was used to strike it.
Martlesham Antiques

Circa 1880.

10" x 5" x 2" thick

26cms x 13cms x 5cms thick

Date of Manufacture

Martlesham Antiques has dated this Victorian Ceremonial Launching Mallet to the 19th Century.

Independent Date Report ID 09377642
Dealer's Item Date19th Century
Sellingantiques dating19th Century
Sellingantiques agingItem 120-160 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to the 19th Century:
Deep relief carving with stippled grounds: hand carving before modern machine routing.
Honey-toned patina and handling wear on the grips: decades of careful handling.
Hand-forged steel blade with faceted bolster: Victorian tool-making practice.
Dense, fine-grained boxwood: traditional choice for high-relief 19th-century decorative work.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Height
26cm (10.24")
Width
13cm (5.12")
Depth
5cm (1.97")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1196806
Dealers Internal Ref
2808
Martlesham Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Jan 2008
Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Martlesham Antiques Profile Page

Trade Associations

Martlesham Antiques is a registered member of LAPADA 

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SAVE
A 19th-century ceremonial set featuring an intricately hand-carved wooden mallet with foliate motifs and a matching carved wooden-handled steel chisel.
1 / 11
Archive I A 19th-century ceremonial set featuring an intricately hand-carved wooden mallet with foliate motifs and a matching carved wooden-handled steel chisel.

19th Century Ceremonial Launching Mallet and Chisel

Archive II A 19th-century ceremonial set featuring an intricately hand-carved wooden mallet with foliate motifs and a matching carved wooden-handled steel chisel. View II
Archive III A 19th-century ceremonial set featuring an intricately hand-carved wooden mallet with foliate motifs and a matching carved wooden-handled steel chisel. View III
Archive IV A 19th-century ceremonial set featuring an intricately hand-carved wooden mallet with foliate motifs and a matching carved wooden-handled steel chisel. View IV
Archive V A 19th-century ceremonial set featuring an intricately hand-carved wooden mallet with foliate motifs and a matching carved wooden-handled steel chisel. View V
Archive VI A 19th-century ceremonial set featuring an intricately hand-carved wooden mallet with foliate motifs and a matching carved wooden-handled steel chisel. View VI
Archive VII A 19th-century ceremonial set featuring an intricately hand-carved wooden mallet with foliate motifs and a matching carved wooden-handled steel chisel. View VII
Archive VIII A 19th-century ceremonial set featuring an intricately hand-carved wooden mallet with foliate motifs and a matching carved wooden-handled steel chisel. View VIII
Archive IX A 19th-century ceremonial set featuring an intricately hand-carved wooden mallet with foliate motifs and a matching carved wooden-handled steel chisel. View IX
Archive X A 19th-century ceremonial set featuring an intricately hand-carved wooden mallet with foliate motifs and a matching carved wooden-handled steel chisel. View X
Archive XI A 19th-century ceremonial set featuring an intricately hand-carved wooden mallet with foliate motifs and a matching carved wooden-handled steel chisel. View XI
Enlarged Archival View

Martlesham Antiques
Telephone 01394 386732
Location
The Thatched Roadhouse
Main Rd
Martlesham
Suffolk
IP12 4RJ
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/martlesham
Verified Since Jan 2008
Items For Sale 279
Items Sold 2,229
Martlesham Antiques
Verified Since Jan 2008
View Dealer Info
Location: The Thatched Roadhouse, Main Rd, Martlesham, Suffolk, IP12 4RJ, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/martlesham
Verified
Jan 2008
For Sale
279
Sold
2,229
A 19th-century ceremonial set featuring an intricately hand-carved wooden mallet with foliate motifs and a matching carved wooden-handled steel chisel.
19th Century ceremonial launching mallet and chisel
Ref: SA1196806
A 19th-century ceremonial set featuring an intricately hand-carved wooden mallet with foliate motifs and a matching carved wooden-handled steel chisel.
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Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectCeremonial Objects
  • Period19th century
  • StyleVictorian
  • MaterialBoxwood, Steel
  • ColourLight Brown
  • MotifsFoliate carving, Rope twist trim, Turned handle
  • SizeH 26 cm (10 in) x W 13 cm (5 in) x D 5 cm (2 in)

This Victorian ceremonial launching mallet and chisel pair originates from the 19th Century, specifically circa 1880. Fashioned from light brown boxwood with a steel chisel blade, the set displays intricate foliate carving, including thistle motifs, alongside rope twist trim and turned handles with carved finials. The mallet head features ribbed cylindrical sections and stepped ends. Measuring 26 cm high by 13 cm wide by 5 cm deep, these ceremonial objects serve historically to symbolically cut the final rope holding a ship. Today, this set fits well in a gentleman's library or office desk display. The chisel handle and mallet handle both exhibit detailed carved relief elements, while the steel blade shows a dark grey metal finish distinct from the warm golden timber tones. The tool rests diagonally across the handle of the mallet in an arrangement suitable for collector displays.

FAQs

During the 19th century, ceremonial mallets and chisels were presented to dignitaries to cut the retaining rope or trigger mechanism during ship launching ceremonies.

These presentation items were typically crafted from fine dense hardwoods such as boxwood, ebony, or mahogany, often combined with steel or sterling silver elements and detailed hand carving.

Authentic pieces feature period-appropriate hand carving, natural wood patination, hand-forged or cast metal fittings, and sometimes engraved silver plaques recording the event.

Display these items on an office desk, inside a glass cloche, or arranged on library shelving alongside historical texts and brass instruments.

Dust the wood regularly using a soft brush, apply a light coat of beeswax polish periodically to maintain moisture, and keep the metal components clean and protected from high humidity to prevent corrosion.
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