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THREE VICTORIAN NAUTICAL PHOTOGRAPH ALBUMS
unused, comprising The British Marine Album with pages dedicated to ten principal lines including Cunard, White Star, P&O, Allan etc.; the Nautical Album; and another, each with colourful marine scenes flanking a variety of different shaped apertures on thick gilt-edged card pages with tissue dividers, mounted between stuffed boards with hasp and clasp securing (covers worn, one partially disbound) - 12 x 9½in. (30.5 x 24cm.); together with a 12 x 10in. leather frame by Asprey with enamel RN reserve crown to top; and a pigskin covered album from Harrods, unused but embossed H.M.S. Valiant 1916-1918
(5)
£200-300
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FLAGS AND PENNANTS
comprising eleven enamelled burgees, two in silver by Benzie of Cowes; three matchbox holders: S.S. Arandora Star, silver 1928; S.S. Jervis Bay; S.S. Canton; and a first edition of the Marryat Code of Signals for 1841, covered in sail cloth with inscribed cover (worn overall)
(A lot)
The S.S. Arandora Star was torpedoed on 2nd July 1940 with great loss of life; Jervis Bay was sunk by the German armoured cruiser Admiral Scheer on 5th November 1940
£150-250
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A RARE RUSSIAN SILVER BOSUN'S CALL, 1854
with spherical barrel, keel fully stamped with city mark for Odessa and dated 1854, gently curved pipe with bulbous mouthpiece – 4¼in. (11cm.) long
£250-350
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A SET OF HAND-PAINTED WOOD FLAGS AND FUNNELS
18 examples representing Cunard, P&O, Royal Mail and Ellerman & Bucknall, set within an annotated mount, overall - 18¼ x 22in. (46 x 56cm.)
£200-300
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A FIRST CLASS LOUNGE ARM CHAIR FROM H.M.S. MAURETANIA, CIRCA 1938
constructed in light oak with original upholstery; together with a period postcard of similar chairs in situ - 32¾in. (83cm.) high
(2)
£300-500
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'OLYMPIC V. HAWKE': OFFICIAL JUDGMENT
Charles Birchall Ltd, London, reprinted from the 'Journal of Commerce', 19th December, 1911, 56p with diagrams, bound in red cloth with gilt titles - 9¼ x 6in. (23.5 x 15cm.); together with a quantity of mercantile marine ephemera including discharge books; seamen's certificates, some in embossed zinc cases; pocket books; small album of photos and post-cards etc
(A lot)
£80-120
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A FAIRGROUND CARVING OF KING GEORGE V BY RENOWNED FIGUREHEAD CARVER ARTHUR EARNEST ANDERSON, CIRCA 1930
depicted half-length in full dress uniform wearing the Imperial Crown and holding an orb and secured to an ebonised display base (refinished, base later) - 31in. (79cm.) high
The Anderson workshop was located at Rownham Yard, Bristol, where it had been since the early 19th Century, the family having migrated from Rotherhithe, London. Arthur's father, John, was considered the finest of the wood carvers producing figureheads for sailing ships that once filled Bristol Harbour. However, by the time Arthur joined his father, the market for ships' figureheads was nearly obsolete, so he turned his hand to carving fairground carousel figures as an alternative.
£1500-2000
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A FIGUREHEAD MAQUETTE FOR THE BARQUE 'GRENADIER'
half-length depicted wearing breast-plate and pouch with mitre cap and mounted on a later display board with brass plaque inscribed From Sail Ship 'Grenadier' 19th Century Glasgow Museum & Gallery, Great Britain, maquette - 12in. (30.5cm) high
£150-250
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δ BRIAN COOLE (BRITISH, B. 1939)
The Hamburg Merchant Ship 'Ida', underway in the Downs off Dover
Signed 'Brian Coole' (lower left)
Oil on canvas
19½ x 23½in. (49.5 x 59.5cm.)
£250-350
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δ BRIAN COOLE (BRITISH, B. 1939)
A Luxembourg Merchantman Underway
Signed 'Brian Coole' (lower left)
Oil on canvas
9½ x 13in. (24 x 35cm.)
£80-120
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δ BRIAN COOLE (BRITISH, B. 1939)
A Small Warship of the 18th Century Under Reduced Sail in Waters off the South Downs
Signed 'Brian Coole' (lower left)
Oil on canvas
12 x 20in. (30.5 x 52.5cm.)
£150-250
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A 19TH CENTURY FIGUREHEAD OF AMERIGO VESPUCCI
carved full length in laminated yellow pine, and depicted wearing fur-lined boots, flowing green robes with belt, clasping a document and holding his chin, mounted on an ebonised plinth - 59in. (150cm.) high (including plinth)
Reputedly the explorer who "gave" his name to America, Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512) would be a logical choice of figurehead for an American merchantman. Modern scholarship however regards his account of his visit to the New World as dubious.
£5000-8000
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A MERCHANTMAN'S FIGUREHEAD, CIRCA 1840
carved in the form of a three-quarter length lady, stepping forward on her left leg, retaining thole pin through waist and arm sockets - 41in. (104cm.) high
£800-1200
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A PAIR OF NORTHERN EUROPEAN MERCHANT MARINE TERMS OR SUPPORTS, POSSIBLY 18TH CENTURY
the male with finely carved beard and tunic, the female with fish-scale armour and tunic, each ending in acanthus-carved base and scroll platform mounted on ebonised plinth support (both with evidence of marine encrustation, old wear and lamination cracks) - 53½in. (136cm.) high (including base)
(2)
£2500-3500
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Ø A FINE 19TH CENTURY SAILWORK SCRIMSHAW DECORATED WHALE TOOTH
incised overall and depicting a whaler underway on one side and a profile of sperm whale with a spume of water on the reverse - 8in. (20.5cm.) high; 853g; mounted on later stand
£800-1200
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Ø A SAILORWORK SCRIMSHAW DECORATED WHALE TOOTH, CIRCA 1840
incised and carved wtih decorated bands by tip and root and with profile of a whaleboat approaching a school of whales on one side - 5¾in. (14.5cm.) high; 275g
£400-600
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Ø A 19TH CENTURY SAILORWORK SCRIMSHAW DECORATED WHALE TOOTH
incised with profile designs for a whaling ship, a greyhound running; a horse trotting; a head study for a greyhound; and an incomplete mermaid - 6¾in. (17cm.) long 507g; together with another sailorwork tooth with pricked designs for a female portrait and a flower - 6½in. (16.5cm.)high; 421g
(2)
£400-600
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Ø A 19TH CENTURY AMERICAN SCRIMSHAW DECORATED WHALE TOOTH
principally decorated on one side with a heavily incised market scene with town beyond and sailor nailing Stars & Stripes to a flag staff above banner inscribed LIBERTY; the reverse with unfinished profile design, possibly later - 4in. (10cm.) high; 354g
£400-600
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Ø A 19TH CENTURY SAILORWORK SCRIMSHAW DECORATED WHALE TOOTH
incised overall and depicting a mother and son group, the reverse with a portrait believed to be of Rembrandt - 6½in. (16.5cm.) high; 748g
£600-800
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Ø A 19TH CENTURY SAILORWORK SCRIMSHAW DECORATED WHALE TOOTH
incomplete but incised over both sides with pricked out design; one side with an anchor above ship's name Dove; the reverse with a Jack Tar kissing his sweetheart over a compass rose - 6in. (15cm.) high; 3785g
£300-500
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Ø A FINE SAILORWORK SCRIMSHAW DECORATED WHALE TOOTH, CIRCA 1840/5
depicting a full-length finely dressed lady standing on a chequer board floor, the reverse with two stanzas of love poem - 9in. (23cm.) high; 863g; mounted on later stand
£600-800
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Ø A 19TH CENTURY ORIENTAL SILVER-MOUNTED STINGRAY WALKING STICK
the tapering fishskin shaft with brass ferrule, with pierced silver figural knop handle - 35in. (89cm.) long; together with a 19th century lead-weighted walking stick, the plain tapering wooden shaft with twine-bound lead-weighted handle
(2)
£250-350
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AN HISTORICALLY INTERESTING 18TH CENTURY TOBACCO-RELATED CANE FROM HAVANA, CUBA
the plain tapering malacca shaft with brass ferrule and silver knop handle engraved to top with a tobacco plant and inscribed around the side ROBt. STEELL HAVANNA [sic] 1763 - 37in. (94cm.) high
The Battle of Havana - a protracted large-scale combined naval and military operation which took place between March and August 1762 and resulted in its capture - a great blow to Spanish influence in the Caribbean as it was their principal naval base. It was returned to the Spanish in 1763 once Florida and Manila were ceded to the British at the Treaty of Paris that year. The loss of Havana (and Manila a little earlier) along with vast quantities of munitions and 1.8 million gold specie confirmed the British as the dominant naval power, and also the fragility of the Spanish Empire. The Commissioned Sea Officers of the Royal Navy 1660-1815 lists a Robert Steel made a Lieutenant in 1760 with no subsequent career data. It's possible that this is the same character who, arriving at Havana with this expedition, then remained to plant tobacco.
£400-600
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Ø A GOOD 19TH CENTURY WHALEBONE LADY'S WALKING STICK
turned from a single piece of pan bone with plain, barley twist and fluted sections, the flared handle with ebonised band - 34in. (86.5cm.) long
£800-1200
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Ø A 19TH CENTURY 'GOING ASHORE' CANE
tapering malacca shaft with foliate silver cuff with foul anchor with square section ivory handle - 33in. (84cm.) long
£100-150
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Ø AN EARLY 20TH CENTURY NARWHAL TUSK (MONODON MONOCEROS)
with mild corkscrew taper and intact tip - 73¾in. (186cm.) long; together with copy of Annex B exemption letter for the Animal & Plant Health Agency, dated 21st October 2016
£4000-6000
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Ø AN EARLY 20TH CENTURY NARWHAL TUSK (MONODON MONOCEROS)
with mild corkscrew taper and intact tip - 61in. (155cm.) long; together with copy of Annex B exemption letter for the Danish Agency of Water and Nature Management, dated December 22nd, 2016
£2500-3500
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Ø A MID-19TH CENTURY SOUTH AMERICAN RIVER TURTLE CARAPACE
the mellowed overall tone with suspension loop behind - 16in. (43cm.) long
£800-1200
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Ø TWO EARLY 20TH CENTURY SPERM WHALE EAR BONES
one with remnant polychrome - 5in. (13cm.) high; together with copy Article 10 certificates numbered 544635/01 and 544635/02
(2)
£300-500
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Ø A RARE MARINE IVORY TEETOTUM (LOTTERY) GAMBLING BALL, LATE 17TH / EARLY 18TH CENTURY
with twenty-four sides deeply incised with numerals 1-24 and a crown by '1' - 1¾in. (4.5cm.) diameter
£800-1200
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Ø A 19TH CENTURY WHALEBONE FID
of typical form turned with double band decoration to top and engraved with S. Mills and with two [?] Scottish flags - 11¾in. (30cm.) long
£350-450
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Ø A 19TH CENTURY WHALEBONE FID
of typical form - 12¾in. (32.5cm) long; together with a small quantity of later sailmaker's tools including a wooden fid; a serving fid; a shuttle; a sailmaker's palm; and others
(A lot)
William Johnston was a sailmaker on the East Coast of Fife from the 1920s to the 1960s. He had a workshop in Methil, close to the docks
£400-600
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Ø A RARE 19TH CENTURY WHALEBONE COSH
of tapering form turned with shaped handle and drilled for leather wrist loop - 12¼in. (31cm.) long
£400-500
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AN HISTORICALLY INTERESTING SNUFF BOX MADE FROM COPPER RECOVERED FROM THE WRECK OF THE NORFOLK CUSTOMS CUTTER RANGER, CIRCA 1822
inscribed overall with depictions of the craft, full provenance and circumstances of the loss and the names of the seven survivors - 3in (7.5cm.) wide
The revenue cutter Ranger foundered off Great Yarmouth with the loss of her commander John Sayer and 29 crew on 13th October 1822. Despite being in full view of the village of Happisburg, Norfolk, no rescue was attempted and only seven men survived having made it ashore in the ship's boat using the one remaining oar. The box is made from copper sheathing recovered from the wreck of the cutter
£300-500
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A RARE CERAMIC PIPE OF THE PRINCE OF WALES, CIRCA 1850
the 5½in. bowl hand painted and depicting the young Prince alighting a boat with a Tar and Officers in assistance and shipping beyond, set on original wooden stem with flexible mouthpiece and mesh cap on chain - 34in. (86.5cm.) high; together with, a small wooden pipe from the Crimean War; a hand carved pipe with matchbox over made from wood recovered from the wreck of the Eurydice; a treen conductor's baton; a silver-capped swagger regimental stick marked for 1910 with provenance to Drum Major Harry Holten, Royal Marines, Malta; an 8in. ceramic plaque of the Sunda; a small transfer pot of the Great Britain in the Falklands; a child's plate and mug
(A lot)
£250-350
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AN HISTORICALLY INTERESTING LONDON WATERMAN'S TOBACCO BOX, CIRCA 1748
inscribed and decorated in both sides John Young / Waterman at Ye Falcon / 1748 - 4¾in. (12cm.) wide
At this date London watermen were commonly used to traverse the river and a number of historic water stairs were recorded including the Falcon, all of which gradually became obsolete as more bridges were built
£250-350
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A WOODEN SAILORWORK TOBACCO BOX
carved in contrasting woods in the form of a man o'war with hinged deck forming lid - 5¼in. (13.5cm.) wide; together with a snuff box, similar - 2in. (5cm.) wide
(2)
£250-350
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A DECORATIVE IRON CANNON
painted black, the barrel semi-bored, mounted on a stepped wood naval-type truck with two ram rods and wooden wheels - 14 x 25in. (35.5 x 63.5cm.)
£200-400
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A LATE 18TH CENTURY MODEL MARINE MORTAR
the 1½in. bore three-stage 5in. barrel with touch-hole and trunnions mounted into chamfered wooden block secured with hinged arms - 6 x 8½in. (15 x 21.5cm.)
£800-1200
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A MARINE THEMED CAST IRON STICK STAND, 19TH CENTURY
with a Jack Tar holding a rope stick retainer, standing atop a trophy of marine iconography, the base with removable drip pan - 27in. (68.5cm.)
£150-250
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A 19TH CENTURY SET OF GAMING TOKENS
three sets of 100 tokens in stained red, blue and white mother-of-pearl, each with engraved 'W', contained in plush-lined red morocco leather box of issue, with silver corners and monogram to lid, box - 14½in. (37cm.) wide
£500-800
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A GOOD MARINE MARQUETRY WORK BOX, CIRCA 1880
the lid and sides depicting busy sailing and yachting scenes, internal fitted tray with central pin cushion surrounded by inlaid flag-lidded compartments - 12in. (30.5cm.) wide
£300-500
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THE NEW YORK ARRIVAL MANIFEST FOR THE S.S. SIRIUS, THE FIRST STEAM SHIP TO TRAVERSE THE ATLANTIC, DATED 23RD APRIL, 1838
official printed header form completed in manuscript and attached to laid paper list annotated with the names, ages, occupations and countries of origin and residence for all crew and passengers, completed and signed three times by Captain Richard Roberts, with filing clerk's inscription to verso reading Steam Ship Sirius / Apl '38 - 20 x 13in. (51 x 33cm.)
Despite being a small wooden paddle-steamer of no apparent significance, the humble little Sirius has assumed a notable place in maritime history as the first vessel to cross the Atlantic Ocean under sustained steam power
Built for the St. George [later City of Cork] Steam Packet Company by Robert Menzies & Son at Leith in 1837, she was mundanely plying her trade between London and Cork when she was unexpectedly chartered by the British and American Steam Navigation Company. Their own contender for the trans-Atlantic run intended to beat Brunel's Great Western was the new British Queen but she had been delayed by the bankruptcy of her engine builder and the company was desperate for a substitute. Under the command of Lieutenant Richard Roberts, R.N., Sirius left London on 28th March 1838 and, after coaling at Cork, sailed for New York on 4th April carrying 40 passengers, 450 tons of coal and 58 casks of resin. After an eventful voyage of eighteen days and ten hours, during which not only all the coal and resin but also most of her cabin furniture, spare yards and even one of her masts had been used to keep her boilers fired up, she arrived in New York to universal acclaim as the first ship to cross the North Atlantic entirely under steam. Even though her average speed was only 6.7 knots and Great Western's was two knots faster when she docked in New York the very next day, nothing could detract from Sirius's achievement and she returned to her former duties with an enviable reputation which endured long after she herself was wrecked in Ballycotton Bay in January 1847
£1000-1500
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A BRASS STEAM WHISTLE RECOVERED FROM THE WRECK OF THE S.S. FORFARSHIRE WHOSE SURVIVORS WERE SAVED BY GRACE DARLING, 7TH SEPTEMBER, 1838
of typical form, the domed whistle threaded to steam pipe with outlet under, now mounted to a wooden display board for wall hanging, the whistle -- 12¼in. (31cm.) high
The Dundee, Perth & London Shipping Company was one of the oldest firms engaged in the coastal trade of Great Britain and traced its origins back to 1777. Initially reluctant to embrace steam, the company ordered its first paddle packets in 1832 which, entering service in 1834, proved an immediate success. Other steamers followed in quick succession, the most notable of which was the ill-fated Forfarshire remembered more for the occasion of her loss than for anything she achieved during her short life. Built in Dundee in 1836 and measured at 192 tons burthen, she was 132 feet in length with a 20 foot beam and was paddle-powered from a 190hp. 2-cylinder engine
On 5th September 1838 Forfarshire left Hull, bound for Dundee, carrying both passengers and freight. Early the next morning the starboard boiler sprang a leak and the same afternoon the engines gave out completely in deteriorating weather. Instead of putting into port for repairs, Captain Humble made sail and stubbornly maintained his course until, at about 4 o'clock the following day, the ship ran aground amongst the Farne Islands and broke her back. The stern section sank immediately taking most of the passengers with it and six crew were also lost immediately. The forepart with thirteen passengers lodged precariously on rock where, just before 5.00am on the 7th September, Grace Darling finally spotted them. It was a further two hours before she and her father saw any survivors and, as he made ready to launch a boat, William Darling realised that he could not manage the task alone. Looking to Grace for assistance, she did not hesitate and the two of them made the perilous journey out to the Big Harcar Rock and, with the greatest difficulty, rescued a woman, an injured man and three others. Once back at the Longstone lighthouse, Grace and her mother tended the distraught woman and injured man whilst her father and two of the rescued men returned to the wreck for the second time. The bad weather continued for several more days but news of the Darlings' exploits soon became known and before long, the plucky twenty-two year old Grace was the toast of the nation. The Darlings, and particularly Grace, were showered with gifts as well as the medals of various lifesaving institutions but, sadly, Grace did not live to enjoy her fame for long and died of tuberculosis in October 1842.
Provenance: Recovered and identified by recreational divers in 1978 and allocated Droit Number 229/12 by the Receiver of Wreck in July 2014. A full account accompanies the lot.
£2500-4000
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M. GUIRE (19TH CENTURY SCHOOL)
The 'Leviathan' [Great Eastern] by Moonlight
Coloured lithograph, London, published 1858 by Reid & Co
19½ x 23½in. (50 x 60cm.), in maple frame
£100-150
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A NEW YORK SHIP'S MANIFEST FOR GREAT EASTERN, 29 JUNE, 1864
annotated official header signed by the master (John Vince Hall) and dated as per title, with attached manuscript list for forty-four first class passengers, with ages, occupations and country of residence - 19½ x 13½in. (49.5 x 34.5cm.)
Great Eastern's career as a passenger ship lasted a mere six or so years - unpopular for her rolling, passengers soon reverted to more comfortable alternatives. With a capacity of four thousand passengers, this passenger list is revealing for how little used she was by this date, a mere forty-four first class passengers. She was converted to a highly successful cable layer two years later, a role which endured until sold for breaking in 1889.
£150-250
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A COLLECTION OF TRANSATLANTIC CABLE SAMPLES
inscribed for various makers including Siemens, The Telegraph Construction & Maintenance Co.; Felten & Guilleaume; R.S. Newall & Co., etc., and comprising various sizes and finishes - largest 5in. (12.5cm.) wide
£400-600
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A NAUTILUS SHELL ETCHED BY C.H. WOOD, 19TH CENTURY
inscribed overall with patriotic depictions and cartouche for Nelson, St. Vincent, St. George & the Dragon; the Coat of Arms for the City of London, with dedication allegedly from the Queen and Lord Mayor of London dated 1850, signed C. H. Wood, High St., Poplar (1in. square hole near rim) - 8in. (20cm.) wide; together with two smaller examples, probably by a different hand
(3)
£300-500
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A GOOD 12-BOLT COPPER & BRASS DIVING HELMET BY SIEBE GORMAN & CO. LTD
no. 19298 (matching including faceplate), with remnant tinning to bonnet and corselet, air inlet with spring valve, telephone port wired to internal bracket, adjustable exhaust with internal knock valve, the courselet in maker's plate signed as per title, full set of stamped and numbered brasses complete with wing nuts - 19½in. (50cm.) high
£2500-4000
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A PAIR OF LEATHER AND BRASS SAND BOOTS BY HEINKE & CO. LTD
the ribbed soles heavily cast in brass and signed as per title with '87 Grange Road, London', with riveted leather uppers with strapping - 13in. (33cm.) long
£300-400
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