Battle of Camperdown: a South Staffordshire enamel patch box, circa 1800
Painted with ten ships in neat formation, inscribed 'Admiral Duncan forming the line against the Dutch fleet', a raised dot and gilt border on the deep blue ground, a mirror affixed to the interior, 5.2cm wide
Footnotes:
Admiral Adam Duncan defeated the Dutch fleet off the coast of Camperduin on 11 October 1797. The British captured eleven enemy ships and lost none, effectively removing the Dutch from rest of the French Revolutionary War. However, enamel boxes commemorating Camperdown, such as the present lot are rare survivors when compared to those celebrating the battles of the Nile and Trafalgar.

A small section of the rim of the lid has been restored, to the left hand side of the photo, coming in just as far as the stern of the left-most ship and the 'A' of 'Admiral'. Otherwise the lid is in good condition, the decoration and inscription remaining well. There has been some restoration to the lower edge of the base, including a little associated with the centre of a fine starcrack also just visible to the interior of the box. A thin clear lacquer has been applied to the exterior sides of the blue base but not to the white underside or interior of the box. Overall the box presents well.