Object Description
A Victorian wool picture of a three masted frigate flying several flags and ensigns, within a border of red, blue and white trellis, in the original frame, regilded. English, circa 1860
Footnote: The flags are rather inaccurate and were probably embroidered at the whim of sailor on the Batavia. The vessel depicted is clearly a ship-of-war, a 22-gun frigate in fact, but the flags on the mizzen are NOT Royal Navy ones but rather merchant flags which, according to Marryat’s Code, spell out the numerical for 793, the number for Batavia. In addition, the flag at the foremast head is that ONLY flown by the Lord High Admiral of England which, since that person is invariably the monarch – in this case Queen Victoria – is clearly incorrect too since the ship is not flying a royal standard and the background colour should be red not blue