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Naval cutter "Earl Howe"
about 1775–1800
Object Place: England
Medium/Technique
Plank over hollowed-block hull; polychromed pine, oak, cedar, ebony, mahogany, brass, linen, steel, boxwood, pear, ash, copper, ivory, glass
Dimensions
Overall (including cradle): 118.7 x 49.5 x 129.5 cm (46 3/4 x 19 1/2 x 51 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of John Templeman Coolidge
Accession Number32.144
CollectionsAmericas
ClassificationsModels
Small, speedy, and easy to maneuver, cutters were used by the Royal Navy to convey dispatches and patrol harbors, by the King's Revenue Service to suppress smuggling, and by smugglers themselves. This model probably was built to sail, as suggested by its lead keel and by its weight, which indicates that it has ballast in its hull. Powder charges were found in several of the guns, when they were cleaned.
DescriptionScale: about 1/2 in. = 1 foot
ProvenanceHistory of ownership: 1927, lent by J. Templeman Coolidge, December 1, 1927; 1932, gift of J. Templeman Coolidge (Accession Date July 21, 1932).