Ships, Folk Art, and Whimsey in Bottles

Very nice merchantman ship sailing on a choppy sea. The ship is has 3 masts and 17 sails. There are 2 cabins on the deck and there is a lifeboat with 2 oars hanging from davits on the stern of the ship. The ship is nicely rigged and sports a German flag from the rigging. The bottled is sealed with a metal cap and has a bi-colored rope around the neck tied off with sealing wax. The ship rests on a base with an plaque on one side with the words: Rahsegler aus dem 18. Jahrhundert." The plaque on the other side has the wording: "Zum 42 Gerburtstag alles gute. 1987."