boatswain

Another recent flea-market find was this bronze statuette, perhaps a trophy (Pokal), but determining anything further on it has proved quite a mystery. The vendor only knew that this very heavy bronze figure on a black marble base was from an artist in Hamburg. The piece is either dated or numbered on the fore of the boat with “19 | 94” and then inscribed with only a sideways, stylized W or E with two dots inside. The base looks like it might have once had a plaque attached to it—which is why I thought it might be some kind of prize. The inside of the boat that the tall man is standing in is etched like a leaf but otherwise cast like a small vessel. The ship’s wheel (Steuerrad) the man is handling is also an unusual detail. Do you have any guesses about this piece?