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[ Marine home page | Naval engagements ]
A very early marine lithograph of one of the many steamers which plied the Hudson River during the mid-19th century. This print is based on a drawing by Archibald Robertson. Robertson drew marine views for the lithographic publisher Robinson and he also taught drawing to Napoleon Sarony, the lithographer of this print, who would go on to work for Nathaniel Currier and then later establish his own lithographic firm. This wonderful image shows the steam packet Diamond sailing through the Hudson Highlands, its decks crowded with passengers. In the margin are listed details of the ship and a certification by the Commander, E.S. Johnson, that the print "is a true & faithful representation of the Steam Packet Diamond." $1,600
T.S. Robins. "The Iron Steam Yacht 'Alexandria,' 416 Tons." London: Messrs. Fores, 1852. Lithograph by E.T. Dolby. 12 x 17 1/2. Original hand color. Very good condition.
A lovely example of one of "Fores's Marine Sketches," this showing the steam yacht "Alexandria," which was built for Tsar of Russia in England. The yacht, shows steaming by a number of other ships and a light-boat, appears sleek and luxurious. A pair of small boats with fishermen using a net appear in the foreground. A very good example of British marine art from the middle of the nineteenth century. $1,200
Charles Parson. "High Pressure Steamboat Mayflower. First Class Packet Between St. Louis and New Orleans on the Mississippi River." New York: Currier & Ives, 1855. Large folio. 16 1/8 x 28. Lithograph. Original hand color. Good margins, though with some minor repaired tears and light stains from previous framing. Conserved. C:2813.
A rare Currier & Ives image of one of the fastest antebellum steamers on the Mississippi, a ship that ran between St. Louis and New Orleans. $5,600
George F. Fuller. "A Steamboat Race On The Mississippi, (between the Baltic & Diana)." Published, M. Knoedler (New York) and Goupil & Co., (London and Paris). Copyright, New York: Geo. F. Fuller, 1859. Lithograph by A. Weingartner's Lith. Excellent original hand color. Repaired tear in top margin just to image and minor marginal spots. Overall, excellent condition.
In 1817, the steamer General Washington made the trip from New Orleans to Louisville in 21 days, setting off great celebrations and creating a fascination with speed records on the Mississippi. Boats were constantly improved, with the Tecumseh making the same journey in eight days, seventeen hours in 1828, and the Sultana in four days and twenty-two hours in 1843. Each new boat aimed to break the speed record and head to head races staged regularly before an enthralled public. In March 1858, one of the most exciting races was held between the Baltic and the Diana. Leaving New Orleans within two minutes of each other, the paddle-wheelers were within sight of each other for most of the 1,382 miles to Louisville, running neck and neck at times and even one "locking horns," before the Baltic won the race.
This dramatic nighttime scene of the race was painted by George F. Fuller (1822-1884), a well known American portrait painter. It shows the two steamers running neck and neck, encouraged by a river raft making its more leisurely way down the river. This large folio print was copyrighted by Fuller himself, but was published by top end publishers in Europe (Goupil & Co.) and America (M. Knoedler). Its quality is particularly fine, typically of the output of these firms. The print came out a year before the first of the Currier & Ives Mississippi paddle-wheeler prints ("Midnight Race on the Mississippi"). The two prints are very similar, though reversed, so it is possible that this Fuller image was the inspiration for Currier & Ives print. $7,500
"U. S. Harbor & River Monitor, Manayunk. Snowdons and Mason Contractors, Pittsburg, PA. Jos. S. Kirk, General Superintendent." New York: Endicott & Co., ca. 1864. Lithograph. Original hand color. Several tears into image and margin expertly repaired. Otherwise, very good condition and nice appearance.
A proud lithograph of the iron clad Manayunk. This ship, 223 feet in length and carrying two 15 inch guns, was one of the Union Army's most advanced iron clad ships. The Manayunk was one of the Canonicus-class monitor and was launched in December 18 1864 in Pittsburg. She was the result of the great push to improve naval ordnance during the Civil War. The monitor class ships proved crucial in the Union victory, opening the rivers of the interior and blockading Confederate ports. The Manayunk, however, did not play a role in the Civil War, for by the time she was launched most of the naval phase of the war had ended. The fitting out of the Manayunk was never completed and she was towed to Mound City Illinois and laid up until 1867, at which time she was towed to New Orleans.
Her history continued, however, for in New Orleans she was renamed Ajax. Commissioned in 1871, the Ajax was stationed in Key West, Florida where she was assigned to the North Atlantic Squadron for coastal defense purposes. Later that year Ajax was decommissioned and laid up at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The monitor was in and out of service from 1874 to 1891. In 1895 she was transferred to the New Jersey Naval Militia and moored at Camden. With the outbreak of the Spanish American War, Ajax was returned to the Navy in 1898 for use as harbor defense in Baltimore. Unfortunately, the war ended before her fitting out had been completed. A year later Ajax was sold for scrap at the Philadelphia Naval Yard. This print depicts the vessel steaming in coastal waters. The quality of the lithography is typical of Endicott's work, and the excellent depiction indicates that this image was likely drawn by Charles Parsons, who drew most of Endicott's marine scenes. A rare and historically valuable print. $1,800
"On The Mississippi." New York: Currier & Ives, 1869. Lithograph. Orginal hand color. Small folio; 8 x 12 1/2. Wide margins. Excellent condition. C:4606.
A classic small folio, Currier & Ives Mississippi paddlewheeler print. $1,400
"The magnificent new Steamer Puritan, built of steel and iron." Currier & Ives, 1889. Medium folio. 9 1/2 x 14 7/8. C:3874. $1,800
Go to listing of other Currier & Ives nautical prints
[Midnight Race on the Mississippi.] Cincinnati or perhaps Covington, Kentucky: Donaldson Art Sign Company, circa. 1887. Chromolithograph. 20 x 29 1/2. A few chips and short tears around margins, else very good.
This is another variation on the 'Midnight Race on the Mississippi' image, this closer to the original in showing the famous race between the Natchez and the Robert E. Lee. The romance of the vanishing past is well captured by this print with a full moon, bright cinders flowing from the smoke stacks, people on deck watching the race, and the calm waters being cut by the vibrant boats. Donaldson was a publisher of high quality chromolithographs for the home, the attempt made to create prints that looked like paintings. This image, with its rich and dark printing, would have made an impressive statement in a home when framed and hung on the wall. $2,400
"Midnight Race On The Mississippi." New York: Thomas Kelly, ca. 1870. 18 1/4 x 25 1/4. Lithograph. Original hand coloring. Good margins. Very good condition.
A dramatic image of nineteenth-century America by the mid-century publisher, Thomas Kelly. Kelly was one of the more successful and impressive publishers of the period, creating archetypal and idyllic views of all areas of life in America, views which were then hugely popular. Kelly's work is distinctive for strong coloring and vivid, forthright compositions. This image is another example of the popular midnight race scene, but here showing the ships the Dana and the Fulton. The image of a bygone era is enhanced for the strong lithography and bright, cheerful color making for a completely engaging and nostalgic look back at earlier America. $1,400
"Midnight Race on the Mississippi." Boston: Haskell & Allen. 8 3/8 x 13. Original hand color. Narrow margins. Very good condition.
A charming small folio version of this popular theme. The text on one of the ships is in reverse, so this may be a transfer from another print. $750
[R.M.S. Aquitania] New York or London: G.T. Inc., ca. 1914. 25 3/4 x 40. Chromolithograph. Several tears, expertly repaired. Else, very good condition.
A colorful and large print of the Cunard steamship Aquitania, launched on April 21, 1913; her maiden voyage to New York began on May 30, 1914. With the out-break of war in 1914, she was commissioned as a troop ship and participated in the 1915 Dardanelles campaign. Later that year, she was converted to a hospital ship. The Aquitania returned to the North Atlantic run in 1920 after an extensive refit, and continued in this capacity until the beginning of the Second World War in 1939, when once again, she served as a troop ship. When the war was over the Aquitania was returned to Cunard, and saw limited service on the North Atlantic. She was taken out of service in 1950 and scrapped in 1951.
This print was most likely issued by the Cunard company at the time the Aquitania first went into service. This "poster" was probably displayed at one of the Cunard offices or a travel agent's office. Many prints of this type were issued by the steamship companies in order to encourage the traveler to book passage on their ships. Few such prints have survived. All in all, a wonderful image of one of the most famous trans-Atlantic liners of the 20th century. $1,100
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