India, Centenary of the Wadia Atashbehram, 1930, bust of Hormusjee Bomanjee Wadia threequarters right, rev., inscription, sailing ship below, 38.2mm, with integral loop for suspension, extremely fine Hormusjee Bomanjee Wadia (c. 1754-1821) was the master shipbuilder at the Bombay shipyard from 1792 until his death in 1821. He laid down the Minden which was the first ship of the line for the Admiralty built outside of England, and following its launch in 1810 the Lords of the Admiralty sent him a letter of appreciation and a piece of plate. He built four more two-deckers for the Navy; the lower hull of one of these, the 74 gun Cornwallis survived as a depot ship and floating jetty at Sheerness until 1957 and was still so strong that it had to be broken up using explosives. A model of the ship built by his son, is still on display at the National Maritime Museum, and is the largest model there.The Atashbehram was a Parsi fire temple of the First Degree.

Estimate: GBP 250 - 300