TitleL'Astrolabe Admiralty Anchor Datec 1781-1785About this objectThis iron anchor is believed to have belonged to L’Astrolabe, one of the two ships of the 1785–1788 Lapérouse expedition. Likely raised in 1959 from the wreck site at Vanikoro in the Solomon Islands, it was gifted to the French community in Sydney and formally presented to the La Perouse Monuments Reserve in 1965. Severely corroded after more than 170 years underwater and decades exposed outdoors, the anchor requires significant conservation and remains a rare surviving relic of France’s most famous voyage of exploration in the Pacific.Object No.88.86-1Physical descriptionAn iron 18th century anchor with two arms attached to a shank. The shank is in two pieces with the upper part broken off and separate.DimensionsL: 2350 mm W: 2370 mm
Circumference of the intersection of the shaft with the fluke: 620 mm
Broken piece: L: 1310 mm Weight: 589 KgPlace madeFrance MaterialIronCredit lineGift of the French Community in Sydney, on behalf of the French High Commissioner in the Pacific (1964–1965).Acquisition date1964On displayYesTypeMuseum objectsOrganisations (Detailed entries)La Perouse Museum (La Perouse, N.S.W.)Production notesThe component parts of the anchor would be made separately and then soldered together, meaning the join of the arms to the shank is often the weakest point. The shank was made from bundles of iron rods forged together.ThemesEuropean arrivals
