1801

Cast gold replica of the famous "dragon whistle" (captain-general's badge of office). 1 1/2''

Currency:USD Category:Artifacts / Shipwreck Artifacts Start Price:1,400.00 USD Estimated At:1,500.00 - 2,250.00 USD
Cast gold replica of the famous  dragon whistle  (captain-general's badge of office). 1 1/2''
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This item SOLD at 2012 Oct 26 @ 21:19UTC-4 : AST/EDT
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Cast gold replica of the famous "dragon whistle" (captain-general's badge of office). 23.2 grams (solid). Approx 1 1/2'' long. In 1962 Rex Stocker and Kip Wagner of the Real Eight Co. found a dragon-shaped gold object with an 11-foot gold chain attached on the beach opposite the "Cabin wreck" site just south of Sebastian, and this strange and beautiful object turned out to be Fleet Captain-General Ubilla's badge of office, functional as a whistle and toothpick and earspoon all in one. It was a fabulous piece that sold at auction in 1967 (lot 21 of the "Treasure of the Spanish Main" auction of February 4, 1967, by Parke-Bernet in New York City) for $50,000, a veritable fortune at the time. This same piece was offered again in 1993 (by Sotheby's of New York) and recently sold in a private transaction for six figures. Over the years we have seen a few cast replicas of the whistle, like this one, a perfect reproduction in solid gold (with jump-ring at top), distinguishable from the original by the fact that it is not hollow (and therefore not functional as a whistle). Normally we do not offer reproductions, but this one was not mass-produced, and when combined with the previous two lots gives the high bidder the opportunity to re-create the famous piece in a long, wearable necklace (a conversation-starter of epic proportion!). Recovered from: Spanish 1715 Fleet, east coast of Florida