A rare timber hall chair made from the oak salvaged from the Foudroyant, Lord Nelson’s flagship. Its shaped back carved with fouled anchor and banner over inscribed Foudroyant and the date '1798-1897' above, the seat decorated with an anchor and lifebuoy inscribed Nelson's Flag Ship, on turned legs joined by an H-stretcher. With wonderful detail and craftmanship, this hall chair would make a wonderful conversation piece in any interior.

HMS Foudroyant was an 80-gun third rate of the Royal Navy, one of only two British-built 80-gun ships of the period (the other was HMS Caesar). Foudroyant was built in the dockyard at Plymouth Dock and launched on 31 March 1798. The Foudroyant served Lord Nelson as his flagship from 6 June 1799 until the end of June 1801.

In June 1897 she was towed to Blackpool and could be visited for a small entrance fee. On 16 June 1897 during a violent storm, she parted a cable and dragging the remaining anchor, went ashore on Blackpool Sands, damaging Blackpool North Pier in the process. The Blackpool lifeboat was able to rescue all 27 of her crew. After vain attempts to refloat her, her guns were removed and she was sold for £200. She finally broke up in the December gales. Craftsmen used flotsam from the wreck to make furniture. In the last image is a painting entitled ‘Capture of the Guillaume Tell’, 31 March 1800, by Nicholas Pocock where the Foudroyant can be seen centre right.

Condtion: excellent

Dimensions: 105cm high x 38cm wide x 40cm deep, seat height: 45cm