Antique British Woolie Ca 1864 ROYAL COAT OF ARMS  Admiral of the Red   PICTURE SIZE: Unframed  18” x 17 1/4", viewing area  Framed 22 3/4“ x 22“ PRESENTED is a beautifully executed woolwork, which frequently is referred to as a woolly.  It portrays the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom in a handsome period style frame. The cannon, drum and anchor beneath the standard design indicates a Royal Navy affiliation of this particular crest, and the red color of the lion at top and the red flag with a white cross inside its crown gives added meaning. More than anything, this signifies the Admiral of the Red Fleet which was the senior squadron starting in 1805. In 1864, the organization of the British fleet into colored squadrons was discarded, mainly because it had no relevance in the age of steam warships which thereby dates this woolie. Ref. Royal Naval Museum Library, 2000   Identifying the Admiral of the Red whose property this was has produced a number of possibilities which we will provide to the buyer. CONSTRUCTION: The intricate embroidery of wool thread sewn on sail canvas, and complexity of the design sets this woolie apart from the typical sailing ship portraits which are prevalent. The extent of the flags, animals, scrolls, banners, drum, cannon, anchor and crowns are a rarely seen composition. This work's background depicting the sky is mainly beige and taupe with blue sky showing, and the bottom is in two shades of green for the ground. The other colors are blue, red, gold, white and black. CONDITION: The woolie is in excellent condition. There are no broken threads and there are no moth holes or staining. All stitches are tight. The colors are bright. The period style frame is a recent addition.The stitching combines all the techniques of classic woolworks of the period. There is no fading.The picture was taken under glass using incandescent lighting, and the real colors are actually brighter than in the photos. BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ARMS: The Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch. These arms are used by the monarch as sovereign of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion. Variants of the Royal Arms are used by other members of the Royal Family; and by the British government in connection with the administration and government of the country, and by parties in service to the king. In Scotland, a variant of the Royal Arms, is used by the Scotland Office. The Kingdom's monarch's crest is below.     \   The shield is quartered, depicting in the first and fourth quarters the three passant guardant lions of England; in the second, the rampant lion and double tressure flory-counter flory of Scotland; and in the third, a harp for Northern Ireland. The crest is a statant guardant lion wearing the imperial crown, himself on another representation of that crown. The dexter supporter is a likewise crowned English lion; the sinister, a Scottish unicorn. According to legend a free unicorn was considered a very dangerous beast; therefore the heraldic unicorn is chained,[1] as were both supporting unicorns in the Royal coat of arms of Scotland. The coat features both the motto of English monarchs, Dieu et mon droit (God and my right), and the motto of the Order of the Garter, Honi soit qui mal y pense (Shamed be he who thinks ill of it) on a representation of the Garter behind the shield.  A SIMPLE CHECK LIST FOR BUYING WOOLIES Condition is probably the most important consideration. Are the threads intact, are they stretched, water stained, moth eaten, etc. Expect to see some fading of color which is a good indication of age. Color: Bright vibrant colors may be the sign of a recently made piece, but it also could be that of one that was stored away or out of the sunlight which would be a good thing. Complexity of design: Woolies that have more than a simple profile of a ship are more valuable. Some have land in the background, the name of the vessel, various flags flying, crests or other embellishments that add value. Design: Some sailors had a knack for composition and color sense which make the work visually appealing while others ended with an unattractive scene. Size: The larger the size, the higher the value. Most woolies are about 16 x 24 inches. Stitching: There are various stitches that sailors used many of which came from sail making, but others learned the art of embroidery so they combined complex stitches for detailing. This adds value. Long stitches take less time, and therefore closely spaced stitches add to the value. If nothing else, remember CONDITION, COMPOSITION, COMPLEXITY enhance value HISTORY OF WOOL WORKS: British sailors crafting woolies were talented needle workers. The height of popularity of this form of folk-art was between 1840-1880. The sailors learned their craft through their daily routines of repairing the ship's sails and taking care of their uniforms. They made the most of their limited spare time and personal space by creating works of art that could be rolled up ,, and stored under their bunks when not being worked on. These sailors were knowledgeable about their ships and their surroundings and were skilled at drawing on canvas and then transforming a simple sketch into a vibrant, detailed, and interesting ship picture. Their accomplishments is magnified by being self taught and creating their works for the satisfaction they gave since there was no profit motive. The overwhelming majority of woolies are unsigned. Gallery prices for works such as this can range from a low of  $4000.00 to a high of $35,000.00 on the average.. A very rare woolwork  in excellent condition made for a navy personage of the Royal Family around 1870  SHIPPING & PACKING: The cost of shipping, packing, handling, and insurance to your destination, is an additional charge. You may email us to get these costs. We price our shipping honestly, but we expect to be reimbursed for the nominal cost of packaging materials and handling. OUR UNCONDITIONAL NO NONSENSE GUARANTEE: If not completely satisfied with your purchase it may be returned, if without damage, within five days of receipt in its original packaging. Return items must be insured for their full value. Only a prior email authorization by us for the return is required. Shipping charges are included in this offer within the continetal United States if the error is due to our fault. International buyers welcome, but inquire first. We have satisfied customers in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Estonia, England, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Martinique, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Nova Scotia, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, St. Maarten, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, USVI and the Eastern Caribbean. ACCEPTED FORMS OF PAYMENT are Bank wire transfer, cashier's check, money order, or personal check in which case the item will be held until cleared. No credit cards or PayPal accepted on this item. Copyright 2012 by Land And Sea Collection™, All Rights Reserved