17. Ocean Liner

17.35 STEAMSHIP COLLAGE.  Grouping of 15 postcard size images of early British steamships:  LLANSTEPHAN CASTLE. SOPHOCLES, DOVER CASTLE, BERRIMA, RMS COMRIE CASTLE, RMS LLANDOVERY CASTLE, MS SICILIAN, (Freighter), HMT FIELD MARSHAL, BORDA,  PRINCE GEORGE, GASCON, RMS HRAWA, CARISBROOK CASTLE and MAILBOAT.  Some are actual photographs, some are lithographs and yet others are chromolithographs.  All are period images of the ships they represent.  Most interestingly 11 of the images overlay what appear to be duplicate or similar images behind them!  18 by 21 ½ inches.  Overall condition is very good.  However 5 of the images have condition issues, the most serious being that of SOPHOCLES which has 2 tears and a small loss in its upper center.  The other issues consist of minor spotting.  10 are excellent.  All are housed under glass in their period wooden Art Nouveau frame with original paper backing (spotted with some minor perforations), dating from the early 1900's.  Since the framing is original, we have not attempted to break into what might otherwise be a very revealing discovery!  WAS $295  NOW! 95

17.37  TIME-LIFE BOOK SERIES.   At the peak of their publishing prowess in the late 70’s Time, Inc., in cooperation with the editors of Life Magazine, set out to produce a set of books about men, ships and the sea, unrivaled in their research, quality of content and beauty of their illustrations.  The result was the series entitled "The Seafarers."   Each book was authored by world renowned experts in their field.  Extant examples are now rare.  But having the complete series is unheard of!  We are now proud to offer the entire set of these books at LESS than their published price over 40 years ago!  Each book is hard bound in faux leather and is in excellent original condition, 9 ½ by 11 ½ inches.  Combined weight is in excess of 50 pounds!  495/set 

This incredible offering, essentially the “Encyclopedia of Maritime History,” contains the following all inclusive titles:

1. The Pirates, 1978
2. The Windjammers, 1978
3. The Frigates, 1979
4. The Whalers, 1979
5. The Men - of- War, 1978
6. The Great Liners, 1981
7. The Northwest Passage, 1908
8. The U - Boats, 1979
9. The Armada, 1981
10. The East Indiamen, 1980
11. The Dreadnaughts, 1979
12. The Clipper Ships, 1979
13. The Explorers, 1979
14. Fighting Sail, 1978
15. The Spanish Main, 1979
16. The Venetians, 1980
17. The Ancient Mariners, 1981
18. The Pacific Navigators, 1980
19. The Atlantic Crossing, 1981
20. The Vikings, 1979

Prior to acquiring this set, we have been selling individual copies for $69, amounting to a combined value of $1,380. 

17.38  FAMOUS LINER HAT RIBBON.  Genuine ship’s creman’s hat ribbon from the  illustrious French Passenger liner ILE DE FRANCE.  This machine embroidered ribbon is made of colorful silk.  The French national ensign flies on the left and the CGT house flag is on the right.  27 inches long.  Outstanding original condition.  The images are crisp and the colors bright. 49

The luxury ocean liner SS ILE DE FRANCE was launched by the Chantiers de Penhoët shipyard in 1927.  Outfitted in the Art Deco style, she was built in a partnership between Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (CGT) and the French government.  The ship was so popular that by 1935  it had carried more first-class passengers than any other transatlantic liner.

In 1939, ILE DE FRANCE and the liner SS NORMANDIE were laid up by CGT to protect the vessels from the threat of German commerce raiders and submarines. In 1940 the French government loaned ILE DE FRANCE to the British Admiralty for the transport of troops and material.  When France fell to Germany in 1941 the British seized the ship outright and converted her into a troopship.  In that capacity she made several trans-Atlantic crossings until War’s end.  In late 1945 she was returned to CGT ownership.

In 1947, CGT carried out an extensive refit which spanned a period of two years.  The ship’s profile was significantly altered when one of its three funnels was removed and the other two streamlined. The vessel’s accommodations were also changed by removing half of its tourist class berths.

After overhaul ILE DE FRANCE returned to passenger service.  On the evening of July 25th 1956 one of the worst maritime disasters in modern history occurred when the MS STOCKHOLM struck the SS ANDREA DORIA in dense fog off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts.  The following day, ILE DE FRANCE, outbound from New York, received an SOS signal from the stricken ANDREA DORIA.  Upon receiving the distress call ILE DE FRANCE immediately altered course to assist with rescue operations.  On arrival she launched 13 lifeboats and her crew began bringing survivors back to the French liner.  By late morning, the crew had rescued 753 survivors, more than any other vessel on the scene.  After discharging survivors back in New York she resumed her voyage to Europe.

By the late 1950s, ocean travel was in decline as air travel increased in popularity.  In the face of waning business CGT sold ILE DE FRANCE to a Japanese ship scrapping company in 1959. She was dismantled later that year.

17.36  FAMOUS LINER SALT.  Diminutive, very decorative component of First Class silverware from the famed liner RMSP ALMANZORA as elegantly portrayed on the cloisonné coat of arms applied to the front.  This lovely piece has indistinguishable hallmarks on the bottom.  It measures 5 inches wide overall, 2 ½ inches in breadth, and 1 7/8 inches high.  Outstanding original condition.  A beauty! 119

RMSP stands for Royal Mail Steam Packet.

RMS ALMANZORA was a 15,551 gross ton liner of the Royal Mail Steamship Line.  She was built in Belfast, Ireland in 1912, the same place and year the RMS TITANIC was launched.  During World War I she served as a Royal Navy armed merchant cruiser from 1915 until 1920. Returning to civilian service in 1920, she was scrapped in 1938.

17.35 STEAMSHIP COLLAGE.  Grouping of 15 postcard size images of early British steamships:  LLANSTEPHAN CASTLE. SOPHOCLES, DOVER CASTLE, BERRIMA, RMS COMRIE CASTLE, RMS LLANDOVERY CASTLE, MS SICILIAN, (Freighter), HMT FIELD MARSHAL, BORDA,  PRINCE GEORGE, GASCON, RMS HRAWA, CARISBROOK CASTLE and MAILBOAT.  Some are actual photographs, some are lithographs and yet others are chromolithographs.  All are period images of the ships they represent.  Most interestingly 11 of the images overlay what appear to be duplicate or similar images behind them!  18 by 21 ½ inches.  Overall condition is very good.  However 5 of the images have condition issues, the most serious being that of SOPHOCLES which has 2 tears and a small loss in its upper center.  The other issues consist of minor spotting.  10 are excellent.  All are housed under glass in their period wooden Art Nouveau frame with original paper backing (spotted with some minor perforations), dating from the early 1900's.  Since the framing is original, we have not attempted to break into what might otherwise be a very revealing discovery!  295 

17.33   "PORT LINE" SAUCERS.  Matched set of 4 hard fired porcelain saucers bearing the emblem of the "PORT LINE" shipping company on a streaming banner.  Three have the maker's mark of a unicorn reading "VITRILAINE WEDGEWOOD TUNSTALL LTD. ENGLAND TRADEMARK.  The bottom of the fourth bears the maker's mark of a sailing ship within a shield surmounted by a crown, flanked by the numbers "4  9" below which is a banner reading "GRIDLEY."   It is also marked "ENGLAND HERCULES VITRIFIED."  5 ½ inches in diameter.  All are in perfect original condition.   70+ years old from the age of steam!  89/set

The Commonwealth and Dominion Company was taken over by the famous Cunard Line in June 1916.  Commonwealth and Dominion officially re-branded itself as the "Port Line" in November of 1937.  The company suffered a number of losses during World War II to a variety of causes.  In all thirteen ships were sunk.  But the venerable company survived.  These handsome saucers appear to date from 1949.

17.31  IDENTIFIED MINIATURE ANCHOR.   Quite scarce exact period replica of one of the  anchor from the famous liner LEVIATHAN as marked on the shank "S.S. LEVIATAHN."  This little anchor, faithful to the original, is made of heavy nickel silver and brass.  It fully articulates at 5 points along its length which is 6 inches.  This type of stockless anchor is more properly referred to as a modified "Klip" or "Hall."  It is 2 ¾ inches wide on the flukes and has a total of 5 pivoting shackles affixed in a very realistic manner.  Excellent original condition.  Approximately 100 years old.  269

The grand passenger liner S.S. LEVIATHAN began her career as the German-built S.S. VATERLAND which was launched into transatlantic service in 1913 for the Hamburg America Line.   At the time, she was the largest passenger ship in the world.  After only a few passages war clouds gathered in Europe, and in late 1914 the United States seized the ship while it was in port New York, moving it to Hoboken, New Jersey for safe keeping.  When the United States entered the war in 1917 she was renamed USS LEVIATHAN for use as a troopship to the European theater.  Before the armistice was signed on November 11, 1918, LEVIATHAN transported more than 119,000 troops.  Among the ship's crew was future film star Humphrey Bogart!  After the armistice LEVIATHAN transported war veterans back to the United States in nine crossings, the last of which was on September 8, 1919.

 On October 29, 1919, USS LEVIATAHN was decommissioned, turned over to the U.S. Shipping Board and laid up again in Hoboken.  After much political wrangling  the ship was finally sent to the Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company in Newport News, Virginia for a complete refurbishing at the astronomical cost of $8 million at the time!  Her first voyage as a deluxe passenger linter was made on July 4, 1923.  She proved enormously popular and became the flagship of the United States Lines in the Roaring 20's.  But the onset of the Great Depression spelled her demise.  On January 26, 1938 LEVIATHAN set out on her 301st transatlantic voyage for delivery to the ship to the breakers in Rosyth, Scotland.  In the 13 years she served United States Lines she carried more than one quarter-million passengers.   Due to her immense size at the advent of World War II, her demolition was delayed until 1946.

17.29   IMPORTANT OCEAN LINER CRUISE BOOK.  Large, fully leather-bound compilation of an amazing variety of passenger liner memorabilia amassed over a period of 40 years from the 1920's into the 1960's during the Golden Age of steamship travel!  This binder contains 32 pages of menus, passenger lists, photographs, post cards, life boat instructions, promotions, tickets, passes, maps, pamphlets, labels, coasters, clippings and more.  Many pages have multiple entries.  The lines represented are Matson, Cunard White Star (QUEEN MARY), Norwegian Caribbean Lines, United States lines, N.Y.K. Line, Hamburg America Line, Pacific Mail Steamship Line, North German Lloyd and Norddeutsher Lloyd.  ALL contents are in perfect original condition preserved under heavy plastic covers.  This handsome presentation measures 13 by 14 1/2 inches and is 2 inches thick.  A simply outstanding original collection!  Also included are two handsome pennants from the N.Y.K. Line.  249

17.28  OCEAN LINER COMMEMORATIVE.  Very early 1900's ornate glass paperweight from the famous German passenger liner S.S. GROSSER KURFUERST."  This authentic relic was no doubt purchased by a passenger as a souvenir for their voyage on the impressive liner.  It features a genuine albumen photograph of the ship taken from a starboard side view.  A number of spectators can be seen standing on the quays on either side as the ship enters port.  The image is entitled "GROSSER KURFUERST" lower center.  It is mounted under a ¾ inch thick scalloped glass weight measuring 4 by 2 ½ inches.  Outstanding original condition in all respects.  99

The huge ocean liner GROSSER KURFUERST  (alternatively 'KURFURST') was completed in April 1900 by F Schichau, Danzig, Germany.  She was 580 feet in length and displaced 13,102 tons.  Her maiden voyage began on May 5, 1900 from Bremen to New York.  Subsequently she plied the  Australian route via the Suez Canal.  On October 9, 1913 she rescued 105 survivors from the Royal Line immigrant ship VOLTURNO ablaze in the Atlantic.  While in port New York in 1914 she was interned by the United States and subsequently seized in April 1917 as a war prize to be converted to a troop ship named USS AEOLUS.  After the War she was sold to the Los Angles Steamship Co. and renamed CITY OF LOS ANGELES.  She met her fate at the hands of Japanese ship breakers in April 1937.

(Nicholas Cairis, "Passenger Liners of the World Since 1893." 1979, Bonanza Books, New York)

17.27/18.98  OCEAN LINER BUNK LAMPS.  Exceptional matched pair of 1st Class Cabin bunk lamps retrieved from an English passenger liner during the Golden Age of liner travel. These classic Art Deco lamps are pleasingly cast in “tear drop” form in solid bronze!  The extremely heavy bodies house the thick ribbed Fresnel glass lenses which focused the light for the reader.  The tops and bottoms of the lamp bodies are vented to prevent overheating. Each is professionally wired for standard 110v American service. The old fashioned style toggle switches are brand new, UL approved, ready for hook-up.  These lamps will accommodate a 60W or smaller incandescent or similar size LED bulb. 7 ¾ inches high by 5 3/8 inches wide and 4 ¼ inches deep, weighing an amazing 6 1/2 pounds each!  Pristine original condition with an old high luster polish. Ready to use. Circa 1930. 595/pr

Contemporary lighting fixtures are very expensive, as anyone who has recently visited a high end hardware or lamp store can attest.  Here we have a genuine antique set of finest quality ship’s lamps about 80 years old, offered for far less than equivalent modern repros of inferior quality, which these days are typically made in China!  A single "tinny" lightweight porch lamp made in China was recently advertised in “Home and Garden” magazine for $295.  The lamps offered here are the real deal!

17. 25 OCEAN LINER TEAPOT.  Original teapot used in the service of the P & O Lines in the liner heyday of the 1950’s.  This pristine example is hard fired porcelain complete with vented top which has a lip to prevent the top from slipping while pouring.  The bottom is marked “P & O Ashworth Bros., England” inside a floral wreath with two hand-painted red marks.  It is also impressed with the number “30” on the lower rim.  7 ¼ inches across including the spout and handle.  4 5/8 inches in diameter overall.  Perfect original condition.  59

17.24  FAMOUS LINER COMMEMORATIVE.  Very early 1900’s West Coast ship’s memento depicting the well known passenger liner MATSONIA underway at sea as seen from a port bow perspective.  This original early albumen image in sepia tones bears scrutiny under magnification.  Deck details, crewmen and the ship’s structure are clearly depicted.  The faint image of another ship can be seen on the far right horizon.  This period photograph is housed under its original old wavy glass in a sculpted redwood frame with 8 spokes denoting a ship’s wheel.  It is hand-painted “M. N. Co. MATSONIA” in a distinctive style which bears further research as to the origins of this California cottage industry maker from 1905 onward.  12 inches wide from spoke to spoke.  The body of the presentation is 9 inches in diameter, and the image itself is 5 ½ inches in diameter.  Magnificent, untouched original condition.  A very desirable West Coast offering, over 100 years old!  299

The passenger liner SS MATSONIA was built by the Newport News Ship Building Company, Newport News, Virginia and launched, in 1913 for the Matson Steam Navigation Company.  The Matson fleet was based out of Hawaii, so MATSONIA began her early career in the Pacific running between the mainland U.S, Hawaii and Far East destinations.  As war clouds developed in Europe, she was acquired by the U.S. Shipping Board and turned over to the Navy at New York (by way of the Panama Canal), in January 1918 as a troop ship.  She was commissioned  USS MATSONIA on March 1, 1918.

Later that month MATSONIA sailed for France embarked with troops and an Army cargo.  She completed six round trips to Europe prior to the War’s end.  During her second voyage the convoy in which MATSONIA was steaming came under was attack by a German U-boat which sank a sister ship only 800 yards from the lucky ship.  During her service she transferred 13,329 troops to Europe.  At War's end she brought back over 23,000 troops in 8 voyages, with the final crossing ending in New York on August 20, 1919.  She was decommissioned on September 12, 1919 and returned to her former owners on September 17.

After the Great War MATSONIA continued in her original role as a passenger liner.  In March 1937 Matson sold her to Alaskan interests, whereupon she was renamed ETOLIN.  With the onset of World War II she was again pressed into service as a troopship, this time in the Pacific.  At the end of the war she was laid up in the Defense Reserve Fleet in the James River, Virginia.  Ultimately she was scrapped in Baltimore, Maryland in 1957.

The unique form of this presentation appears to have been done in the very early 1900’s by an individual or small workshop based in central California.  The distinctive lettering and the exclusive use of redwood are signatures of this folk art form.  In our tenure we have encountered at least 5 nearly identical examples, all dating from 1905 to 1920.  If anyone can shed more light on their origin, we would be very interested to learn of it.