Offered is a pair of rare, antique Old Ironsides bookends. The pair of bookends were created from "The Material Was Taken From U.S. Frigate Constitution 1927". The USS Constitution was undergoing a major restoration and the U.S. Congress approved using salvaged materials to create products to raise funds for the project.
The ship wheel bookends feature a center relief created from the copper sheathing that clad the wood hull. The bases are lead weighted from the magazine lining. The centerrelief includes image of the U.S.S. Constitution with text that reads: “Old Ironsides-Launched 1797- 1804 Tripoli - 1812 Guerrier Java-1815 Cyane Lavant-U.S. Frigate Constitution.” The bookends stand about 6 1/2" tall and the base is approximately 5 3/4" wide.
The wonderful bookends are in very good condition with original patina. The bookends are wobbly, but feature original copper tabs that adjust when books are placed in between. An amazing find from a beloved ship, the oldest U.S. warship still afloat, docked at the Charlestown Navy Yard in Massachusetts.
