Framed British Navy Sailor's Woolie Woolwork
Updated August 13, 2026
This auction ended on August 20, 2026.
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| Lot number | 1230 |
| Auction | BACK TO SCHOOL Hall of Fame Autographs & Antiques Auction |
| Date | August 20, 2026 at 6:00 PM EDT |
| Auction house | Blue Crab Auction |
| Location | Annapolis, Maryland |
British Navy sailor’s woolwork, affectionately known as a "woolie," is a distinct form of maritime folk art created by British Royal Navy seamen primarily between 1840 and 1914. These vibrant textile pictures were stitched by sailors during long, idle hours at sea, or while recovering in naval hospitals as an early form of occupational therapy. Sailors utilized materials readily available on board—such as heavy sail canvas or duck cloth for the backing, and leftover rigging twine or coarse wools—to stitch highly accurate portraits of their vessels.
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