New This Week:

2.98/5.93  SAILOR FOLK ART MODEL.  Genuine, from the period, sailor-made model of the famous, ill-fated American aircraft carrier, USS YORK TOWN (CV-5).  This scale model was likely made on-board the actual ship!  It is all wood with brass fittings depicting a starboard side view of the famous aircraft carrier mounted on a rich chamfered mahogany panel with a wonderful variegated old surface.  It bears the brass placard reading “U.S.S. YORKTOWN AIRCRAFT CARRIER Scale 1/64” = 1’.”  This exceptional relic has a solid wooden hull with brass and carved wood details.  A cloisonné American flag adorns the superstructure.  The model itself is 12 ¼ inches long.  The backboard is 6 ½ by 16 inches.  The original brass eyelet with ring is provided for hanging.  This is a true, objective piece of American history in a most desirable, decorative form.  An important U.S. Navy museum piece.  895

The USS YORK TOWN (CV-5) was laid down on May 21, 1934, launched April 4, 1936 and commissioned on September 30, 1937 by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.  The 1930’s were a unique time in Naval history when tactics shifted from the traditional firepower of big guns to the fledgling air power of World War I.  In fact the YORKTOWN was laid down as originally intended to be a big gunned cruiser!.

On the Day of Infamy, December 7th, 1941, YORKTOWN was in port Norfolk, Virginia.  She was immediately dispatched to the South Pacific where, upon arrival, she was a major combatant in the first confrontation of World War II between the Japanese and American fleets in the Battle of the Coral Sea.  Together with the USS LEXINGTON she sank the Japanese aircraft carrier SHOHO on May 7, 1942.  Unfortunately the LEXINGTON was sunk in that battle and YORKTOWN was badly damaged.  She limped back to Pearl Harbor for stopgap repairs before being assigned emergency orders to steam for the impending Battle of Midway.  She departed Pearl on May 30 en route Midway.  Arriving on June 4th YORKTOWN was severely crippled by airplanes from the Japanese aircraft carrier HIRYU on June 7, 1942.  The coups-de-gras was delivered on the following day by Japanese submarine I-168 which sunk her with a torpedo.

5.94/15.48  OFFICAL U.S.  NAVY BATTLESHIP PHOTO.  Impressive, original detailed color photograph taken upon the foc’sle of the USS NEW JERSEY (BB- 62) during its active participation in the Gulf War in 1991.   The back of this original photograph is stamped “ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH NOT TO BE USED FOR PUBLICATION BY ORDER OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.”  This stunning image in rich color and detail measures 7 by 9 ¼ inches sight.  It is professionally matted in a high quality acid-free mat measuring 11 by 12 inches.  Perfect original condition.  A rare photograph, not intended for the public dissemination of this awesome World War II survivor!  39

7.88  TIME REFERENCE BOOK.  Anthony Taylor, “The Time Museum Time Measuring Instruments.”  1985, 1st Edition, The Time Museum, Rockford, Illinois.  268 pages, hard cloth cover, profusely illustrated in color and black and white with photos, line drawings and pictures.  The author was a well-respected scholar who concentrated his research in the field of scientific instruments, clocks and watches.  He worked in several major English museums and co-authored a landmark reference book entitled “Scientific Instruments” with famous British scientific instrument dealer Harriet Wynter in 1975.  Here he focuses on the world of astrolabes -- the ancient instruments used by astronomers and navigators to chart the heavens in the Middle Ages.  Beginning with the earliest origins and development in 1300, the book traces the evolution form Persia and India through Spain and Europe in the 1500’s.  The book contains an abundance of high quality color photographs and precision diagrams with detailed descriptions and explanations regarding the best known examples in the world!  Large format, 8 ½ by 11 ½ inches.  As NEW condition.  Without a doubt the most thorough, definitive authority on this rare subject.  95

9.43  SUN DIAL.  Very scarce, early 19th century “floating gnomon” sun dial of English manufacture.  This rare, ingenious device obviated the need for the user to properly align his sun dial with a compass.  Cleverly, the body of the dial is mounted atop a functional compass card which automatically aligns it North and South!  The circular dry compass card is marked on the periphery with the traditional points of the compass rose.  The Cardinal, Intercardinal, and Sub-Cardinal points are identified down to ½ points or a total of 64 divisions in all.  The lesser points are  identified by “*.”  The inner ring consists of a traditional sun dial register indicating hours of the day in Roman numerals, divided into 15 minute increments from 4 in the morning until 8 in the evening.  An image of the sun is above the South point and a classic fleur-de-lis marks the North.   The gnomon itself is a traditional brass isosceles triangle.  The entire interior is protected under its original convex blown glass dome.  Telling of its age, the body of this instrument is turned out of rare, nearly extinct boxwood, complete with original press fit cover!  2 ¼ inches in diameter and 1 1/8 inch thick with cover.  Absolutely pristine original condition with no flaws.  The compass function is lively and accurate.  This sundial is 200+ years old!  A very rare timepiece which was widely used as the accepted means of telling time in the every early 1800’s.  695

12.17  WHALEBONE DOMINOS.  Complete set of 28 “sixes” dominos made entirely of dense whalebone.  This full, ivory-like set is housed in its original rich mahogany box with sliding lid and ivory knob.  Each domino measures 1 5/8 long by ¾ inches wide and 3/16 inches thick.  The box is 6 ¼ inches long by 2 inches wide and is 1 ½ inches thick.  This handsome box has an unusually rich-grained sliding cover with ivory knob.  Typical high end antique domino sets are laminated wood and bone.  This unusual set is solid bone!  A rare, totally original, pristine set from the 1800’s.  349

Not available or for sale in California.  Shipped from Massachusetts.

18.45  RARE SHIP's ONION LAMP.   Lovely, Civil War era ship's globe lantern or "onion lamp" from the days of sail.  This American lamp is all copper with its original blown glass globe.  Entirely hand-made, it exhibits neat riveted and soldered joints, punched cruciform vents and a castellated top.  The top and bottom of the lamp are connected by 5 stout copper supports which double as guards encircled by an equally heavy equatorial ring.  The top of the lamp hinges open and there was a provision for a hasp.  The blade is present but the flap is not.   This lamp is complete with its brass font and burner which press in from the bottom and are held with a bayonet twist.  The very unusual burner is highly aspirated and the wick advance knob is impressed "HOLMES BOOTH & HAYDEN WATERBURY CONN."   This truly wonderful old lamp measures 15 inches tall (17 1/2 inches overall with the handle) and is 11 inches in diameter   The thick glass globe is wavy with bubbles and inclusions, typical of glass manufactured prior to the Civil War.  One heat crack in the glass does exist which, happily, does not even show from most perspectives.   Lovely form, condition, and age patina with no corrosion.   A very rare example of a nicely preserved early marine lantern, being the biggest and best lamp of its type we have ever offered.  Circa 1860. 795

The manufacturing company of Holmes, Booth & Haydens began in 1853 with the partnership of Hiram W. Hayden, Israel Holmes and John C. Booth in Waterbury, Connecticut. The firm was incorporated on February 2, 1853.  Bothers Henry H. and James A. Hayden were among the partners, hence the plural Haydens in the company name.  The company was engaged in casting, rolling and drawing brass and copper.  They were major players in the manufacture of lamps, burners and trimmings.
Israel Holmes began his metal working business in 1820, having formed many companies that manufactured sheet metal and wire.  Holmes left the firm in 1869 to form Holmes, Booth and Atwood, later named Plume & Atwood.  He died in 1874.

Hiram W. Hayden was a prolific inventor who had nearly 30 lamp and lighting patents.   His other patented inventions include a breech-loading rifle, a breech-loading cannon, a magazine rifle, patents & designs for buttons, medals, and a machine for making solid metal tubing,

Copper, an elemental metal prized for its heat conductivity, malleability and resistance to corrosion, was the premium material used by manufacturers of the earliest marine lighting.

AUTHENTIC LIGHTHOUSE. The ultimate! This was an exceptional opportunity to own a very historic relic of America’s rich maritime heritage embodied in the original lamp room from the famous Ballast Point Lighthouse, which served its sentinel duties in the channel of San Diego Bay from 1890 until 1960. This incredibly well-preserved piece of history was built according to specifications laid out by the U.S. Lighthouse Service in 1885. A copy of the original specifications are included as are much printed references and photographs. Erected in 1890, the 5th Order lighthouse was a significant aid to navigation in conjunction with the Point Loma Lighthouse (1850) poised at the entrance to San Diego Bay. Ballast Point Light was situated further inside the massive bay on a point which jutted into the seaway which posed a hazard to shipping. 135 years old! SOLD

HISTORY

On October 2, 1888, recognizing the need for a harbor light in the increasingly congested channel of San Diego Bay, Congress authorized $25,000 for the construction of a lighthouse to be built on Ballast Point. Fashioned in the late Victorian style, the entire structure took 3 months to build beginning in March 1890. The light was first lit on August 1st. It was a sister of the lights at San Luis Obispo and Table Bluff, south of Humboldt Bay. All were wood framed structures with attached living quarters. The ironwork for the lantern was forged in San Francisco and carried south to San Diego by ship. The French firm of Sautter, Lemmonier, & Cie. manufactured the Freznel lens for the Ballast Point Light in 1886. The fixed 5th Order lens was visible for a distance of at least 11 miles.

When California was still part of Mexico the peninsula jutting into San Diego Bay was known as Punta del los Guijarros or “Pebble Point.” For centuries cobblestones washed down by the San Diego River had been deposited on the point. When California gained statehood in 1850 the point was renamed Middle Ground Shoal. As time went on and merchant traffic in the harbor increased, many sailing ships found it convenient to load or discharge the stones as ballast. The practice continued and eventually the name “Ballast Point” stuck.

Accompanying the Ballast Point lighthouse was a huge 2,000 pound fog bell in a wooden tower. In 1928 it was supplanted by a single tone electric diaphone horn.

The first keeper of the light was John M. Nilsson, assigned duty on July 15, 1890. The second was Henry Hall, who took the job on December 1, 1892. Perhaps the most famous keeper was Irish born David R. Splaine, a Civil War veteran and veteran lighthouse keeper, who assumed the post in 1894, having served at Point Conception, the Farallons and San Diego’s own Point Loma light from 1886-1889.

In 1913 the original old kerosene lamp was replaced with an acetylene burner. Acetylene gave way to electricity in 1928. In 1938 a filter was fitted inside the 5th Order Freznel lens giving the light a distinctive green hue for recognition. One of the last keepers of the light was Radford Franke who recalled receiving the order to “douse the light” upon the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

By early 1960 the light was deemed to be of no further service, so in June of that year the lantern room was removed to a salvage yard. The wooden tower and its brick and mortar foundation remained a couple of years later until they too were declared structurally unsafe and demolished. The bell tower continued to survive, mounted with a 375 mm high intensity lamp on its roof. However the value of maintaining any light on Ballast Point diminished with the installation of harbor entrance range lights. In the late 1960’s the bell and its tower were dismantled. The tower found its way to a private residence in Lakeside, California. The bell had a more circuitous later life. It was purchased from a San Diego area junk yard in 1969 for its scrap value of 5 cents per pound! The one ton bell remained on local private property until 1991, when it was put on loan to the San Diego Maritime Museum. In 1999 the bell was transported to the son of the original buyer, living in Colorado. Then in 2002, the bell finally found its way to the home of the owner’s granddaughter living in Vermont, where it rests to this day.

The story of the lantern’s later life is even more fascinating. The nation was just recovering from the Cuban Missile Crisis between JFK and Khrushchev, when in 1964 the Cuban government cut off the fresh water supply to the U.S. Naval base at Guantanamo Bay. By that time, an experimental desalinization plant had been in operation at Point Loma for 2 years. The Navy hastily ordered it to be disassembled and shipped through the Panama Canal to Cuba. A gentleman working as a crane operator during the process noted the shabby lantern room in a trash heap nearby. He inquired as to the fate of the relic and was told it was salvage. Asking if he could purchase it, the yard foreman told him he could “have it” if he would haul it away. With that, for the next 34 years the lantern room served as a gazebo in the backyard of the man’s residence in Bonita, California. It was purchased by the present owners in 1998, fully refurbished, and then placed on public display ever since. Now it is time for it to find its next new home. According to the crane operator who delivered the lamp room it weighs approximately 5 tons. It will require a crane and a flat bed truck for removal.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

F. Ross Holland, “The Old Point Loma Lighthouse,” 1978, Cabrillo Historical Association, San Diego, California

Jim Gibbs, “The Twilight of Lighthouses,” 1996, Schiffer Publishing, Atglen, PA.

Kin Fahlen and Karen Scanlon, “Lighthouse of San Diego,” 2008, Arcadia Publishing, San Francisco

Kraig Anderson, “Forgotten Ballast Point “Lighthouse” Seeks New Home,” article in “Lighthouse Digest,” East Machias, Maine, September – October 2011, Vol. XX, no. 5 pages 34 – 37.

“Mains’l Haul,” a periodic publication of the San Diego Maritime Association, Summer 1990, Vol. XXVI, No. 4, pp. 11-12.