Item NA12 - Sailor's Sail Cloth Ditty Bag. Fancy Knot Work.
This
old (probably 19th Century ditty bag was fashioned from heavy
sailcloth, with grommets set near the top for draw string closure, with a
fringed border just below the top. The fringe is formed from a cotton line that
is sewed to the inside of the doubled over hem at the top. This is then
unravelled to create dense fringe that is two inches long. theThe bag is 17
inches tall, from top to bottom, with a single lengthwise seam overlapped and
sewed. The bottom is formed from a piece of softwood (that has a check running
across it, with a double chamfered wood strip supporting it halfway. This wooden
bottom is circular and is 7 inches diameter. It (the bottom) is bound to the
sailcloth by being clenched with a leather belt that is decorated with a
tooth-like upper edge. The leather is fastened through the sail cloth to the rim
of the wooden bottom with round-headed wrought iton nails at about 1 inch
interval. The drawstring closure at the top is by a continuous cotton cord that
is gathered through the grommets. This is attached to a single fancy knot work
rope that leads to another knot-work rope, 7 inches long, with a Turk's Head
knot at the bottom The top of this line terminates with another Turk's Head that
is in turn attached to a fancy cigar shaped handle that is 5 inches long. This
is knotted around a central wooden core. There has been loss of the knotting on
the handle on one side where some abrasion occurred I the past. The sail cloth
shows normal wear and dirt. Except for the abrasion on the handle the seam work
and knot work is excellent. It is a great piece of a sailor' shipboard. Work.
Price -
$400.00
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