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It’s hammer time! Maine’s ships once carried the future with them, from London to Canton to the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. At a recent auction, the trade winds were high, with oil paintings snapped up by collectors for up to $30,000.

By Colin W. Sargent

Back when “reaching out” was a more sincere term, Maine’s ships seized the world as their canvas. It’s one thing to reminisce and quite another to happen upon a window to see what these exotic vessels actually looked like with wind in their sails.

Glowing oil paintings of no fewer than 14 Maine-built ships were auctioned recently at Northeast Auctions’ Annual Marine, China Trade, and Historical Americana Auction in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Here they are, with captions verbatim from the catalog. Actual auction prices come courtesy of Denise Douglas of Northeast.

In some cases, the provenance is extraordinary. In the twilight of her life, the Llewellyn J. Morse, built 1877 (Lot 716), “was outfitted to play the part of USS Constitution in the 1926 silent film epic Old Ironsides.” To see the Morse strut her stuff, you can rent the film in VHS from Northeast Historic Film. See http://oldfilm.org/content/old-ironsides. Borrow up to three videos at a time and pay only $5 for postage.

NICHOLAS CAMMILLIERI (MALTESE, C.1780-1855). BARK REINDEER OF SCARBORO, JAMES WALKER MASTER, 1853. Watercolor on paper, 16″ x 22″, sight. Signed “Nicola Cammillieri” l.r. Estimate: $6,000-$8,000. Did not sell.

GEORGE M.W. ATKINSON (BRITISH 1806-1884). THE BARQUE PRINCETON. Built at Bath, Maine in 1842 by Levi Houghton and commanded by Silas A. Houghton. Oil on canvas, 24″ x 35″. Signed and dated “Geo. M.W. Atkinson 1851” l.r. Estimate: $12,000-$18,000. Sold for: $12,000.

From Top: DUNCAN McFARLANE (BRITISH 1818-1865). THE AMERICAN SHIP ESMERALDA. Built at Brunswick, Maine in 1849 by Robert McManus, her first Master, she served in Williams & Guion’s Black Star Line and later, the Blue Ball Line of packets running between New York and Liverpool. Oil on canvas, 24″ x 36″. Estimate: $10,000-$15,000. Sold for:  $30,000.

CHINA TRADE PAINTING OF THE SHIP LUCY A. NICKELS OF SEARSPORT, C.M. NICKELS, MASTER, OFF HONG KONG, JULY 1886. Oil on canvas, 24″ x 32″. Estimate:
$7,000-$9,000. Sold for: $7,500.

JOSEPH SEMPLE (IRISH/ AMERICAN, ACT. 1860-1880). THE AMERICAN BRIG PROTEUS OFF THE IRISH COAST. Built at Bucksport, Maine in 1857, the Proteus was owned by C.H. Chase; her captain was T. Hall. Oil on canvas, 22″ x 32″. Signed “J. Semple. Belfast” and dated 1861, l.r. Estimate: $5,000-$8,000. Sold for: $7,250.

CHARLES J. WALDRON (BRITISH 1836-1891). THE AMERICAN CLIPPER SHIP KENDRICK FISH APPROACHING FASTNET ROCK. Built in 1867 at Thomaston, Maine by Samuel Watts, the Kendrick Fish operated in the transatlantic trade, although she made one trip from Liverpool to Singapore. When this portrait was painted in 1872, she was commanded by Capt. Alex McClay. In 1880 the Kendrick Fish was sold to J.D. Bischoff of Bremerhaven. Oil on canvas, 30″ x 42″. Signed and dated “C.J. Waldron/ L’pool ‘72” l.l. Estimate: $8,000-$12,000. Sold for:  $7,000.

ELISHA TAYLOR BAKER (AMERICAN 1827-1890). PORTRAIT OF THE BARK IBIS OFF GAY HEAD. Built at Newcastle, Maine in 1860, the Ibis’s home port was New York. Oil on canvas, 24″ x 32″. Estimate: $7,000-$9,000. Sold for: $7,500.

THE AMERICAN SHIP PELICAN STATE, CAPT. ROBERT F. MORSE, ENTERING MALTA, 1859. Built at Bath, Maine in 1851 by Levi Houghton & Sons. Watercolor on paper, 17½” x 22¾”. Signed indistinctly “Fil. Vassalls fecit” l.l. Estimate: $3,000-$4,000. Sold for: $9,000.

FOLK ART WATERCOLOR OF THE AMERICAN BARK RIO,
CIRCA 1850. Built at Belfast, Maine in 1842. Watercolor on paper, 14¼” x 19¼”. Estimate: $1,200-$1,800. Sold for: $2,400.

THE CLIPPER SHIP RED JACKET. AMERICAN SCHOOL, MID-NINETEENTH CENTURY. Built at Rockland, Maine by George Thomas and launched in 1853, the Red Jacket became the first ship purchased for the British White Star Line in 1854. Oil on canvas, 32″ x 48″. Estimate: $3,000-$5,000. Sold for:  $5,000.

CLEMENT DREW (AMERICAN 1806-1889). THE BARK ELLA OFF BOSTON LIGHT. Built at Ellsworth, Maine in 1847. Oil on canvas, 22″ x 30″. Estimate: $3,000-$5,000. Sold for: $9,500.

NEW PACKET OF BOSTON ENTERING THE HARBOUR OF PALERMO, EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY. The New Packet was built at Bath, Maine in 1805 by Nathaniel R. Thomas. Watercolor on paper, 16″ x 21¼”, sight. Framed and matted, frame 25 x 30¼ inches. Literature: For a similar ship portrait, probably by the same artist, see John Swain Carter, American Traders in European Ports: The Alexander O. Vietor Collection in the Peabody Museum of Salem, p. 14, no. 19. Estimate: $2,500-$4,000. Sold for: $4,800.

EUGENE GRANDIN (FRENCH 1833-1919). THE AMERICAN SHIP MOSES DAY, CAPT. T.O. WOODWORTH. Built at Richmond, Maine in 1868 by T.J. Southard & Son. Watercolor on paper, 6″ x 7½”, sight. Signed and dated “Havre 1870/ Eugene Grandin,” l.r., the ship’s name inscribed on the matboard. Estimate: $1,200-$1,800. Sold for: $1,500.

PORTRAIT OF THE AMERICAN THREE-MASTED SHIP LLEWELLYN J. MORSE. Built at Brewer, Maine and launched in 1877, the ship was named for a Commander of the Coast Guard Unit at Fort McClary in Kittery. In her last significant role, the Morse was outfitted to play the part of the USS Constitution in the 1926 silent film epic Old Ironsides. Oil on canvas, 25¼” x 39″. In a period walnut frame. Estimate: $5,000-$8,000. Sold for: $12,000.