These are just amazing--a set of three pieces, of three different sizes, done by a naval ship captain, I'd guess earlier in the 19th century than later. The largest of the three is a very very finely cut paper matrix, decorated even more finely with red and black ink, while the other two are geometric drawings in red and black ink on paper. The former, mounted to brown paper, includes a hand-written note that describes all three, a bit hard (for me at least) to decipher, but here's what I can make out: "This and the following __ was done by the late Honorable ___ when he was a member of the Navy Board. They were executed during the time he __ trading [?] aboard the ___. Of the day without the aid of rule or compass or any copy merely with a common pen and ink red sometimes."
So, all done freehand, feeling very much product of a navigator's mind, I'd say, as a diversion/respite/means of killing time during a long journey at sea. I sure love a geometric drawing, and an elaborate doodle, but these are really at another level. At some point, I'm not sure when, they were mounted to board and framed--each one different, but all very nicely done, with the varied antique frames suiting each one well. Seems to me all the more special as a set, each enhancing the others, so I offer them as such.
Largest (cut paper): 14 1/8" x 11 1/4" framed (sight: 12 1/4" x 9 3/8); medium (orange mat): 10 7/8" x 9 1/8" framed (drawing 6" x 6"); smallest: 7 7/8" x 6 5/8" framed (drawing 5 1/8" x 5"). All in very good condition, crisp and clear, with ink strong and clear. One clean break in the cut paper design, which I think is rather nice as it makes clear that to that it is indeed cut paper, formed by very precisely cutting away from one piece of paper.
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