The figureheads on te bow of sailing ships represent a unique art form.
They have been used from the dawn ofi history untile modern times and are surveyed here age by age and type by type. Such section heads as The vikings, State barges, female subjects, and the Clipper indicate the variety of carving which is described both in words and in many brilliant color photographs. Around these figureheads is woven maritime history and anecdote, which gives extra meaning to these much travelled and significant images.