Relic Pitcairn Island And The Mutiny On The Bounty, Treen Paperweight 1865

A truly fascinating piece of naval and historical memorabilia from Pitcairn Island and the Mutiny on the Bounty, a treen novelty paperweight circa 1865

in the form of a leather-bound book, the front cover inset with a panel inscribed in pen and ink 'This Relic of John Adams's House was taken from Pitcairns Island by George Fudge of HMS Reindeer Dec 4th '69 [1869]'

In 1789, following the notorious HMS 'Bounty' mutiny led by Fletcher Christian, eight mutineers and six Tahitian men and eleven Tahitian women took refuge on Pitcairn Island, settling there in January 1790. They stripped the ship of anything useful, including timber with which to build themselves houses, later burning and scuttling the vessel just off the Island.

The mutineers remained undetected until February 1808, when John Adams and some Tahitian women and children were discovered. John Adams was eventually granted amnesty and was buried on the Island in 1829. By 1850, many of the original houses were in disrepair, and George Fudge, of HMS 'Reindeer', removed some timber from John Adams's dwelling and crafted this delightful and rare memento of the ship, the mutineers and the island.

Provenance, from the collection of the mid 1980s Sotheby’s director Tim Wonnacott

Housed in a period glass dome on a brass stand.

Relic measures 10/7/2.3cm
Dome 11/16/22cm