⚓ Ironbridge-Sourced Antique English Cast Iron Sea Captain Wall Plaque
⚓ Ironbridge-Sourced Antique English Cast Iron Sea Captain Wall Plaque
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This substantial English cast-iron wall plaque (circa 1900's early 20th century) presents a finely modelled high-relief portraitof a pipe-smoking sea captain or fisherman, wearing a traditional working hat with a full beard and pronounced facial character. The sculptural casting is crisp and confident, with strong contouring through the coat and features, producing excellent depth and shadow definition when displayed. 🚬🌊
Although unmarked, it carries the quality and aesthetic commonly associated with Coalbrookdale-influenced / Ironbridge-style decorative ironwork—durable, architectural castings made to elevate entrances, garden walls, and period interiors. 🏛️
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📏 Dimensions and weight
Height: 34.5 cm
Width: 28 cm
Depth (max): 6 cm
Weight: c. 8 kg 🏋️♂️
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🧱 Provenance
Curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD 🏺 and acquired from an architectural dealer in Ironbridge, Shropshire—within the wider Ironbridge Gorge, internationally recognised for its ironmaking heritage and pivotal role in the Industrial Revolution. 🔥🧱
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📚 Historical significance
Ironbridge Gorge is widely recognised as a global symbol of the Industrial Revolution and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1986), reflecting the area’s exceptional contribution to industrial development and iron production. 🌍🏛️
Coalbrookdale and the surrounding district became strongly associated not only with ironmaking, but with the later flourishing of ornamental and architectural cast iron—the tradition that made objects like this desirable for both exterior architecture and interior statement décor. 📖✨
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🏛️ Notable collectors and institutional interest
Quality British decorative ironwork of the Coalbrookdale tradition is preserved and collected at a high level. The National Trust holds cast-iron garden seating attributed to Coalbrookdale, demonstrating enduring institutional interest in this field. 🏰🌿
Coalbrookdale’s legacy is interpreted in situ by the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron, located in the former Great Warehouse built for the Coalbrookdale Company (1838), originally used for storing cast-iron products before dispatch. 🏛️🔥
Specialist references also note Coalbrookdale Company works held by the Victoria and Albert Museum, underscoring the museum-level standing of the best period castings. 🖼️
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✅ Why you will love it
✅ The depth and presence of the casting reads as sculptural wall art, not a flat plaque.
✅ The maritime subject is timeless and highly collectible, with superb character in the pipe, beard and hat. ⚓🚬
✅ The 8kg weight gives immediate confidence in quality, thickness, and architectural integrity. 🏋️♂️
✅ It displays beautifully in a hallway, study, library, bar room, or coastal interior—and is equally impressive outdoors as a garden/porch feature or set into masonry as a permanent statement. 🧱🌿✨
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🔩 Display and installation
A metal hanging point/slot to the reverse allows secure wall mounting; owing to the weight, appropriate heavy-duty fixings should be used. The plaque can also be set into masonry/brickwork as an exterior architectural feature. 🧱
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🕰️ Condition
Offered in fine, characterful antique condition. The surface has been overpainted black and shows age-related wear including patina, paint losses, scuffs, staining, and areas of oxidisation/rust consistent with reclaimed cast iron. Please refer to photographs as part of the description.
