Ships, Folk Art, and Whimsey in Bottles

This is a model of the Mayflower, which was a a merchant ship prior to its well known transatlantic voyage in 1620. The Mayflower was built sometime before or during 1609; it was a three masted carrack, square-rigged except for the mizzen mast, which had only a lateen sail. This model has three masts, six sails and a ship’s boat stored over the main hatch. The ship is displayed in an inverted three inch diameter light bulb and its set in a clay sea that covers the entry through the base of the bulb. The bulb is displayed in wood stand, and the label inside the bulb reads: "Mayflower 1609, Clayton Rakes 2010"