A remarkable antique naval water barrel attributed to the ship “Venerable”, mounted on a later wooden display stand. Constructed from coopered timber staves bound with iron hoops, the barrel has a beautifully aged surface with rich patina, wear and marks accumulated through long use. The small bung opening to the top remains in place with its original cap attached by chain.

The barrel was displayed in the exhibition “Glorious Victory” at the McManus Galleries, Dundee. The exhibition label describes it as “A Water Barrel from the Venerable with a modern stand”, noting that it was later kept as a souvenir and used for many years as an umbrella stand before entering a private collection. The letter from Dundee City Council confirming its inclusion in the exhibition will be included with the piece.

Naval relics such as this were often retained as souvenirs or presentation pieces when ships were broken up, and small barrels like this would originally have been used to store drinking water aboard ship. The strong sculptural form, iron bands and historic maritime association give it real presence as a decorative object.

The barrel sits on a later wooden cradle stand which supports it securely for display. The timber shows age, wear and historic use with marks, scuffs and surface character consistent with a working object of this type. Overall it remains a striking and unusual historic maritime artefact.

Width approximately 58 cm
Approximately 22.8 inches