19,936  PAGES BROWSED TODAY PAGES TODAY 70  ANTIQUES UPLOADED TODAY NEW ARRIVALS
ID #SA1212348
FOR SALE
£975
Email
Save
19th Century Cased Diorama of Two Sailing Vessels Racing at Sea, Circa 1860
Robert Belcher Antiques
for sale €1,141     $1,238
£975
Robert Belcher Antiques

Robert Belcher Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Jul 2017
View Dealers Stock Page
  • About Us
    Robert belcher antiques was established in 1984 and is a high quality retailer of interesting, rare antiques and decorative items.
Id #SA1212348
PDF SHARE
SAVE

19th Century Cased Diorama of Two Sailing Vessels Racing at Sea, Circa 1860

19th century
Description

This most attractive mid 19th century folk art cased diorama shows a view at sea with a large three mast English ship being chased in a racing situation by a smaller and faster single mast yacht. Both are passing by a lighthouse which is in the foreground.

This diorama has been beautifully handmade. The vessel, sails and lighthouse are all hand carved in wood and very nicely painted in bright colours as is the setting of the choppy sea which has most likely been formed in papier mâché.

The most appealing element of this piece is its small compact size which easily lends itself for display on a shelf, table or perhaps wall mounted.

The case is made from nailed pine boards which have been papered and painted black and finished with a glazed front set into putty.

The glass is original and period with a lovely handmade imperfections.

This decorative diorama is in excellent original condition.

English, circa 1860

Height 16cm x width 52.5cm x depth 8.5cm max.

Physical Dimensions
Height
16cm (6.30")
Width
52.5cm (20.67")
Depth
8.5cm (3.35")
Declaration

Robert Belcher Antiques has dated this Victorian Cased Ship Diorama to the 1860s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1212348
Dealers Notes

Robert Belcher Antiques was established in 1984 and is a high-quality retailer of interesting, rare antiques and decorative objects. After forty years of shop keeping and maintaining beautiful showrooms, which have been regularly open six days a week, Robert and Wendy have now taken a slightly different approach to their business. Having sold their retail premises, the antique business is now fully online. The picture framing service has ceased to operate because of moving online.

You can contact Robert and Wendy by email or telephone to discuss items from their extensive catalogue of attractive pieces and make purchases. Customers can rest assured that the long-established dealership is continuing to run in an exceedingly professional way, selling genuine and high-quality items which are guaranteed to please the most discerning collector, decorator or homeowner.

All items will be personally hand packaged to a high standard. Small items are extensively wrapped using the best materials and are often double boxed. Items are then shipped with DHL or Royal Mail fully insured and often with next day delivery. Larger items would be personally delivered or sent with a specialist antique delivery firm, or for outside the U.K, a professional shipping company.

Please enjoy viewing their collection of rare and interesting pieces and have the assurance that Robert and Wendy will do their utmost to make sure your experience is exceptional, as has been recognised by many customers who have bought with confidence regularly over the years.

Contact details

Email: robertbelcherantiques@gmail.com

Telephone: 01905 622468

Mobile 07929 011224

07720 607007

Website: https://www.robertbelcherantiques.co.uk

Instagram: robertbelcherantiques

Description
This most attractive mid 19th century folk art cased diorama shows a view at sea with a large three mast English ship being chased in a racing situation by a smaller and faster single mast yacht. Both are passing by a lighthouse which is in the foreground.

This diorama has been beautifully handmade.

The vessel, sails and lighthouse are all hand carved in wood and very nicely painted in bright colours as is the setting of the choppy sea which has most likely been formed in papier mâché.
Robert Belcher Antiques
fig 1. A nineteenth-century glass-fronted black wooden shadow box featuring a carved and painted diorama of two sailing ships and a lighthouse on a textured sea.
fig 1. 19th Century Cased Diorama of Two Sailing Vessels Racing at Sea, Circa 1860

The most appealing element of this piece is its small compact size which easily lends itself for display on a shelf, table or perhaps wall mounted.

The case is made from nailed pine boards which have been papered and painted black and finished with a glazed front set into putty.

The glass is original and period with a lovely handmade imperfections.

This decorative diorama is in excellent original condition.

English, circa 1860

Height 16cm x width 52.5cm x depth 8.5cm max.

Height
16cm (6.30")
Width
52.5cm (20.67")
Depth
8.5cm (3.35")
Date of Manufacture

Robert Belcher Antiques has dated this Victorian Cased Ship Diorama to the 1860s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1212348
Robert Belcher Antiques
Robert Belcher Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Jul 2017

Robert belcher antiques was established in 1984 and is a high quality retailer of interesting, rare antiques and decorative items.

Dealer Profile

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

PDF SHARE
SAVE
A nineteenth-century glass-fronted black wooden shadow box featuring a carved and painted diorama of two sailing ships and a lighthouse on a textured sea.
1 / 11
Archive I A nineteenth-century glass-fronted black wooden shadow box featuring a carved and painted diorama of two sailing ships and a lighthouse on a textured sea.

19th century cased diorama of two sailing vessels racing at sea, circa 1860

Archive II A nineteenth-century glass-fronted black wooden shadow box featuring a carved and painted diorama of two sailing ships and a lighthouse on a textured sea. View II
Archive III A nineteenth-century glass-fronted black wooden shadow box featuring a carved and painted diorama of two sailing ships and a lighthouse on a textured sea. View III
Archive IV A nineteenth-century glass-fronted black wooden shadow box featuring a carved and painted diorama of two sailing ships and a lighthouse on a textured sea. View IV
Archive V A nineteenth-century glass-fronted black wooden shadow box featuring a carved and painted diorama of two sailing ships and a lighthouse on a textured sea. View V
Archive VI A nineteenth-century glass-fronted black wooden shadow box featuring a carved and painted diorama of two sailing ships and a lighthouse on a textured sea. View VI
Archive VII A nineteenth-century glass-fronted black wooden shadow box featuring a carved and painted diorama of two sailing ships and a lighthouse on a textured sea. View VII
Archive VIII A nineteenth-century glass-fronted black wooden shadow box featuring a carved and painted diorama of two sailing ships and a lighthouse on a textured sea. View VIII
Archive IX A nineteenth-century glass-fronted black wooden shadow box featuring a carved and painted diorama of two sailing ships and a lighthouse on a textured sea. View IX
Archive X A nineteenth-century glass-fronted black wooden shadow box featuring a carved and painted diorama of two sailing ships and a lighthouse on a textured sea. View X
Archive XI A nineteenth-century glass-fronted black wooden shadow box featuring a carved and painted diorama of two sailing ships and a lighthouse on a textured sea. View XI
Enlarged Archival View
Location
Worcestershire
United Kingdom

By appointment only.
Verified Since Jul 2017
Items For Sale 405
Items Sold 667
Robert Belcher Antiques
Robert Belcher Antiques
Verified Since Jul 2017
View Dealer Info
Location: Worcestershire, United Kingdom, , By appointment only.
Verified
Jul 2017
For Sale
405
Sold
667
A nineteenth-century glass-fronted black wooden shadow box featuring a carved and painted diorama of two sailing ships and a lighthouse on a textured sea.
19th century cased diorama of two sailing vessels racing at sea, circa 1860
Ref: SA1212348
A nineteenth-century glass-fronted black wooden shadow box featuring a carved and painted diorama of two sailing ships and a lighthouse on a textured sea.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Detail View 5
Detail View 6
Detail View 7
Detail View 8
Detail View 9
Detail View 10
Archival Detail
Every single antique dealer on our platform is individually approved by our internal team. We verify their professional trade history, ethical standards, and photographic quality to ensure a secure, high-standard buying environment. Upon joining, every dealer agrees to a strict 9-point code of conduct. While issues can occasionally arise, our dealers typically resolve them swiftly and directly with the buyer. In fact, since our founding in 2002, Sellingantiques has only had to step in to help resolve an issue on roughly five occasions—a true testament to the quality of our dealers and their dedication to your happiness.
Our dealers are highly experienced in packing and shipping fragile, high-value antiques. Because you are in direct contact with the dealer, you will be able to easily go through all available shipping and insurance options together to ensure your item arrives safely.
Antiques are the ultimate green purchase. By choosing historical pieces over newly manufactured goods, you completely eliminate the carbon footprint of modern mass production while preserving exceptional, timeless craftsmanship.

A maritime shadow box diorama is a three-dimensional folk art representation of ships at sea, housed within a glass-fronted wooden display case created predominantly during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Craftsmen and sailors typically utilised carved wood, painted plaster or putty for sea swells, bone, thread for rigging, and hand-painted card or canvas backdrops enclosed behind sheet glass.

Authentic Victorian pieces often feature period joinery, mouth-blown or older sheet glass with subtle surface variations, original painted surfaces with age-related crazing, and period-accurate naval architecture details.

These objects serve as focal points when positioned on a mantelpiece, bookshelf, or console table within coastal, transitional, or traditional study settings.

Keep the case sealed to protect internal components from dust, clean the exterior glass with a dry microfibre cloth, and position the diorama away from direct sunlight and fluctuating humidity levels.
items
Add keywords to the filter
Price
£100
£250000
Era
Movements
Material
Origin
Stock Location
Freshness
Online Payments
Categories