Mooring anchor block

Scale: Unknown. A model of a mooring anchor, about 1821, made in wood and brass. The bed of the mooring block is made of five identically-shaped pieces of brass secured together with two round-headed bolts passing laterally through them, and is secured at the side of the furthest one using two small brass wedges. The bed is rectangular in rear elevation and rectangular but with a downward-pointing triangular section in profile. Secured to the top of this brass bed by a pair of brass straps, is a mahogany block which is trapezium-shaped in profile. The straps pass longitudinally over the block and are secured at the front and rear by substantial brass clips that are themselves formed as part of the second and fourth brass bed pieces. Each pair of clips is connected by round-headed bolts secured by wedges. These bolts retain fastenings to which are connected four short lengths of chain. At the front of the mooring block, the two longer lengths of chain terminate in a circular ring. A shackle is also connected to it, and a short length of chain is attached to the shackle. Attached to the end of this chain is a large rope-covered ring. At the rear of the mooring block the two shorter lengths of chain terminate in a circular ring identical to the one at the front. The sides of the wood block accommodate two small rings. Two short, unequal, lengths of rope emerge from a common aperture in the centre of the top of the block, the ends of which contain small brass fixing rings.William RodgersOriginal size: 53 mm x 215 mm x 65 mm