£600
TWO TRANSATLANTIC CABLE LOCKETS
the larger of the two contains a slice of the telegraph cable in a glazed panel, the bright yellow metal mount is hand engraved with a cable design, a monogrammed 'A' and the date 1865, the diameter is 3.2cm, weight 17.1gms. The second one also mounted in yellow metal is engraved "Atlantic Cable 1858. recovered by Great Eastern 23 August 1873, latitude 51.58, longitude 35.46." Diameter 2.2cm, weight 11.7gms. Linked with a base metal chain.
These two lockets contain slices of the Atlantic cable laid on the sea bed in 1858-1865, between Newfoundland and Ireland, enabling Queen Victoria and the President of The United States of America to exchange greetings in 1858. In 1866 Isambard Kingdom Brunel's ship The Great Eastern was deployed to rescue a cable laid in 1865, which snapped, fix it and lay further cable, the mission was a success. This cable literally changed the world, by 1902 the last cable linking Canada and New Zealand was laid, the world was now encircled with a communication network.
The lockets were filled with tree resin apparently, this has degraded over the years the smaller worse than the large one. the mounts are in good condition.
Fees apply to the hammer price:
Room and Absentee Bids:
28.80% inc VAT*
Online and Autobids:
31.8% inc VAT*
