Ten Pound Island Book Company: Clipper Ship Cards. Advertising voyages between Boston and San Francisco.

Clipper Ship Cards

If you are interested in purchasing a Clipper Ship Card, inquire at tenpound@tenpound.com

These clipper ship sailing cards come directly from the descendants of a New York commission agent who was active in the 1850s and 60s. They have not seen the light of day since that time, and are in pristine condition; some even still have their original delivery envelopes.

Troves like this occasionally came out of attics in the 20th century. I don't think there are many left in the 21st. Of special note are the sailing ship broadsides and handbills. I believe these to be unique. Their like will probably never be seen again. They are a tremendous collecting opportunity for a person with vision and sufficiently deep pockets.

COMET
“Only New-York built clipper Up. Made the passage in 103 days, and from San Francisco to New-York in 76 days! The Comet against the fleet!... Todd, master, is receiving her cargo at Pier 16 E.R.,...” Comet, 1836 tons, was designed by William H. Webb and launched in New York in 1851. She was a beautiful vessel and one of the fastest sailers of her day. She was sold to the Brits in 1863 and burned in 1865. This remarkable card is featured by Bruce Roberts in “Clipper Ship Sailing Cards.” This card, he says, “represents the pinnacle of clipper card typography... George Nesbitt pulled out all typographical stops for this card, which dates from 1859 to 1861. He apparently decided to rest on his laurels, as he is not known to have produced anything like this card again.” The card is printed in a diamond configuration, measuring 5 5/8 inches on a side. It is in immaculate condition, with ribbon intact. Accompanied by its original delivery envelope, also in pristine condition. $6500

DAVID CROCKETT.
“Burgess, Master. For San Francisco at Pier eighteen East River. Sutton & Co. 58 South St. Cor. Wall. G.F. Nesbitt & Co.... New York” According to Forbes the Crockett “was an especially fast clipper built in 1853 at Mystic, Connecticut.. Between that time and 1876 she had turned in for her owners a net profit of $500,000. She ended her successful life as a coal barge in Philadelphia in 1890.” Davy Crockett was a popular subject for these cards. I know of at least four different examples. However, this is one of the few cards done entirely in lithography. Card measures 4 x 6 1/2 inches. In Fine condition. Rare. $2500

DREADNOUGHT.
“William Cushing, commander, is again loading for San Francisco in Robinson’s California Line, at Pier 11, East River... The Dreadnought has made the quickest passage on record.” This ship was launched in 1853 in Newburyport, Mass. Her original captain, Samuels, was famed as a hard-driver and probably accomplished the run of which the cards boasts. Cushing took command in 1864. The Dreadnought was lost in 1869. I do not understand the Civil War iconography, but it makes for a distinctive design. The card is oversized at 5 x 7 3/8 inches, and is in fine condition. $3500

FRANKLIN.
“D. P. Bursley, commander, is again loading and will receive the balance of her cargo at Pier 14, East River.” The Franklin was built by Paul Curtis in East Boston in 1859. To my mind this is one of the most charming and fascinating of all the clipper ship sailing cards. It shows Franklin and his kite and, as Forbes observes in “Other Yankee Ship Sailing Cards,” “the owners of the vessel believed the mode of conveyance of that day so assured that they dared picture a train and engine on the same card.” Indeed, this is one of two cards that I know of that feature the image of a locomotive. This is a variant of the card pictured in Forbes. It names a different captain and the second line of type under the ship’s name is set flush left rather than centered - clearly a mistake that was corrected in later printings of the card. The card measures 4 x 6 1/2 inches and is in immaculate condition. $3500

GARIBALDI.
“Emery, master, is recieving cargo at Pier 12 East River (Old Slip)...” The Garibaldi, 1336 tons, was built in Mystic, CT in 1860. Fairburn calls her “A prominent member of the early California grain fleet.” She was sold to the Germans in 1880. The card measures 6 1/2 x 4 inches. It comes with its own mailing envelope addressed to a New York commission agent and cancelled “Jul 5, 1856.” Most unusual! Fine condition $2500

GOV. MORTON.
“L. W. Horton, Commander, is now completing her loading at Pier 15 E.R., foot Wall St. This splendid Clipper has been completely rebuilt, and is in all respects equal to a new ship.” The Gov. Morton was a medium clipper of 1303 tons, built in Somerset, Mass. in 1851. Horton was master of the ship prior to 1868. She burned in 1877, after twenty years in the California trade. The rebuilding referred to on the card occurred in San Francisco in 1862. The card measures 6 1/2 x 4 inches and, except for one small smudge along bottom border, it is in fine condition. With original delivery envelope addressed to a New York commission agent. $2500

GREAT REPUBLIC.
One of the greatest of all clipper ship sailing cards, and in prime condition. I doubt another such will appear on the market in our lifetimes. The Great Republic was built in 1853 by Donald McKay. She was, at that time, the largest merchant sailing vessel constructed in the United States, but she burned almost immediately. The reconstructed version was still one of the biggest and fastest of her day. Fittingly this card is one of the crown jewels of all clipper ship cards. It measures 8 1/4 x 5 3/4 inches. The front shows the ship in full color surrounded by draped flags and patriotic images against a gold ground. It is also is one of the very few cards also printed on the back. This information tells us that Capt. Limeburner was her commander and that she was scheduled to depart Pier 28 in the East River on November 15, with the “15” added in manuscript. This may have been her 1859 trip, in which she departed November 23, and made San Francisco in a commendable 109 days. A copy of this card brought $4500 in the Siegel sale of 1990, and this copy surpasses that one in terms of its brilliant condition. $8500

GREAT REPUBLIC.
“Clipper of August, 1858. 91 days!! The Great Republic Pier 27 E.R., will be dispatched as above. No use talking - enough said.” An alternate design for the card of this great Donald McKay clipper, and rather unusual in its wording. Although the storied Captain Limeburner was still in command of her in 1858, he is not mentioned in the text Instead, it features four lines of poetry and a colloquial boast of the ship’s supremacy. Unlike the other Great Republic card, it has no printing on the back. A handsome design in an oversided format, measuring 4 7/8 x 7 1/4 inches. Light oxidation in the upper right corner, else in fine condition. $3000

HORNET.
“Harding, Master, at Pier 12 East River. (Old Slip)...” The Hornet was an extreme clipper of 1426 tons, launched in New York in 1851. Harding, the name given here, was her captain in 1863. This is a wonderful card, depicting the naval Hornet’s defeat of the Peacock in the War of 1812. The explosion motif is ironic because, on the voyage after this one, she exploded and caught fire, probably from paint stores, and was lost at sea. The crew put off in three boats, only one of which made it to shore, in Hawaii, where Mark Twain happened to be vacationing. He wrote an article on the episode for “Harper’s Monthly Magazine.” There are at least two other versions of the Hornet card - one a nasty-looking insect - but this one has the best back-story by far. The card measures 6 1/2 x 4 inches and is in fine condition. With original delivery envelope addressed to a New York commission agent. This envelope is imprinted with the beehive logo that was the house flag of the Sutton Co., agents for the Hornet. Nesbitt, the printer of this card, was the first to print postage stamped envelopes in 1853. This may have been an experiment in expanding the concept. A remarkable survival. $3500

HORNET.
“Mitchell, commander, is now rapidly loading at Pier 15 East River. This magnificent vessel is of the extreme clipper model, and has just been thoroughly overhauled, newly coppered, and put in complete order for the voyage.” This was the card issued just before the Hornet’s fatal voyage. (See prior entry.) It measures 4 1/2 x 7 1/4 inches, and is in fine condition. It is accompanied by its original delivery envelope, addressed in 19th century hand to a New York commission agent. $3000

JAMES R. KEELER.
“Delano, Master, is receiving her cargo at pier 26, East River, Peck Slip...” A pretty card, but not the best printing job, with some evidence of ink smudging in the gold border. The card measures slightly over 6 1/2 x 4 inches, and is in fine condition. $1500

JOHN TUCKER.
“Frank Hallett, master, is receiving her cargo at Pier 20 East River... This popular clipper is well-known to the trade as first-class in every respect, and being of small capacity, with large engagements of Railroad material, offers inducements unequalled by any other vessel up.” It was considered a good thing for a vessel to be of small capacity; she would load faster, the cargo would be better treated and, being sharp, she might be a faster sailer. This card measures 6 1/2 x 4 inches and is in fine condition. $1750

LADY WASHINGTON.
“Sigsbie, Master, is receiving her cargo at Pier 12 East River, (Old Slip)...” This card honors both the first First Lady and the pioneering American China Trade ship of the 1780s. It measures 6 1/2 x 4 inches and is in fine condition. With original delivery envelope addressed to a New York commission agent. $2500

LIVE OAK.
“W.O. Alden, Commander, is now rapidly loading at Pier 11, East River.” This gorgeous card appears in “Yankee Ship Sailing Cards, Vol. III” but there is a paucity of information about the ship it advertizes. Forbes says, “The only Live Oak we found mentioned was a record in Lloyd’s Register of 1877 of a British vessel of this name... built at Mattapoisett, Mass., in 1832.” This card certainly predates her British registration. Not in Siegel Sale catalog. Just a trace of oxidation along edges, otherwise in fine condition. The card measures 6 1/2 x 4 inches and comes with its own mailing envelop addessed to a New York commission agent. Rare thus. $2500

LOOKOUT.
“Sherwood, Master, is receiving cargo at Pier 12 E.R. (Old Slip)...” The Lookout, 1068 tons, was built in Warren, RI in 1853. She was in the California trade from 1854 until the end of 1871, and was wrecked off Japan in 1878. She made some fast passages and was reputed to have been a great favorite on the San Francisco - New York run. Serwood, named on this card, was her captain between 1857 and 1863. The card measures 6 1/2 x 4 inches and is in fine condition. With original delivery envelope addressed to a New York commission agent. $2500

MANITOU.
“Honeywell, master, is receiving her cargo at Pier 10 E.R... unsurpassed by any clipper in the California trade. Her passages from SYDNEY TO CALLAO IN 38 DAYS, MAURITIUS TO LONDON IN 62 DAYS, have never been equalled.” The Manitou was a 1401 ton extreme clipper built by Cramp in Philadelphia in 1855. She went missing in 1859. This is a gorgeous, oversized card, measuring 4 5/8 x 7 1/8 inches. It is also one of the rare dated examples, which enables us to calculate that it was printed in 1858, for one of the Manituou’s last voyages. The design features the Sutton Line’s beehive flag surrounded by Indian motifs. Printed by Nesbit & Co. In fine condition. $3500

MIDNIGHT.
“Geo. H. Brock, Commander, is recieving her cargo at Pier 9 East River...” The little 838 ton Midnight was launched 1854 at Portsmouth, NH. Brock commanded the ship from 1858 to 1872. She was condemned in Japan in 1878. This distinctive card is printed in gold and black. A more worn copy brought $800 in the Siegel sale in 1990. The card measures 6 1/2 x 4 inches. It is in fine condition. $1500

PANAMA.
“112, 117, 120 days’ passage. Small popular ship... Soule, master, is receiving her cargo at Pier 26 E.R... The PANAMA is one of the finest and most elegantly finished shipsin the California and China trade...” She was an 1139 ton extreme clipper built in New York in 1853. As mentioned on the card she was involved in the far east trade as well as San Francisco, and made some very fast passages while she was it it. Soule took command in 1860. The Panama was condemned and sold in 1867. An attractive card measuring 6 1/2 x 4 inches, and in fine condition, with an unusually racy depiction of a figurehead. $2500

PANTHER.
“Sylvester Lothrop, Commander, is rapidly loading at pier 10 East River. The model of this splendid vessel, her standing with the underwriters, and the name of her builder, PAUL CURTIS, at once recommend her to shippers as an exceptionable conveyance for California goods.” Curtis was a Medfield, Mass. builder, and he launched the Panther in 1854. She was 1278 tons and had a productive career until 1874 when she was lost off Vancouver. According to Forbes, who features this card, “Captain Sylvester Lothrop took command in 1862, showing that this card was issued that year or later.” It measures 4 x 6 1/2 inches and is in fine condition. $2500

PRIMA DONNA.
“John S. Pray, master, is receiving her cargo at Pier 27, E.R...” The Prima Donna was a medium clipper of 1529 tons, built at Mystic, CT in 1858. According to Howe and Matthews, “She was prominent among handsome ships... and she was a favorite with shippers.” Sometime after 1883 she was sold and went under the Austrian flag, by the same name. There are at least two other images for the Prima Donna. This one is notable in that it employs lithography in the image of the women. It is also dated, allowing us to place this voyage in 1858. For some reason, perhaps having to do with the lithographic printing process, this card, when it appears, is almost always oxidized and abraded. Except for a faint tinge along the top and bottom margins, this one is in near perfect condition, and rare thus. It is oversized, measuring 4 1/8 x 7 1/8 inches. $3500

RICHARD S. ELY.
“Livingston, Commander, at Pier 16 East River... Randolph M. Cooley, 88 Wall St., Tontine Building. Agents in San Francisco, Messrs. DE WITT, KITTLE & Co.” The Ely was a 1207 ton ship built in 1858. This handsome card measures 4 x 6 1/2 inches. It is in fine condition. $2000

ROBIN HOOD.
“Matthews, commander, at Pier 10 East River. This splendid vessel is well known to shippers. She carries but 1550 tons, insures A 1 clean, has made Five Passages inside of 125 Days...” Robin Hood was built in Medford, Mass. in 1854. Her folkloric name inspired at least three different images. She burned in 1869 and Forbes says “On his arrival at Honolulu, (the captain) had some of the crew put in jail on the charge of having set fire to the ship. This card imeasures 4 x 6 1/2 inches. It is very lightly rubbed along the bottom edge, but is still in fine condition. $2500

SKYLARK.
“Bursley, Master, is receiving cargo at Pier 12, East River, (Old Slip,)... The Skylark is of small capacity, and... has made the passage twice in 116 days...” The Skylark was an extreme clipper of 1209 tons, built in Somerset, Mass. in 1853. Howe and Matthews say, “She had the name of being a fast sailer and frequently logged 15 knots under royals and topmast stu’nsails.” The card’s mention of two passages in 116 days possibly dates it to 1860, which is the year Bursley first took command. She was sold to Germany in 1866. A pretty card, measuring 6 1/2 x 4 inches. Small spot on right margin, else fine condition. $2500

SUSAN HOWLAND.
“Richard H. Gilliat, commander. The above splendid first-class CLIPPER SHIP is now rapidly loading at Pier 11, East River. In Comstock’s clipper line.” The Howland was a 1137 ton ship built in East Boston in 1856. This is an attractive oversized card measuring 4 7/8 x 7 3/8 inches. Except for three small smudges near the center of the card it is in fine condition. $2500

VITULA.
“W.F. Peck, commander, is now recieving her cargo at Pier 11 East River...” The Vitula, 1187 tons, was built in East Boston in 1855. She was condemned at Rio in 1867. This attractive card is done in lettering only. It measures 6 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches, and comes with its original mailing envelope, addressed to a New York commission agent in 19th century hand. Rare thus, in fine condition. $1500

YOUNG AMERICA.
“Jones, master, is recieving cargo at Pier 26 East River, (Peck Slip,)...” Built in New York in 1853, the Young America was among the lovliest of William H. Webb’s clipper ships. Howe and Matthews call this vessel “his masterpiece... not excelled by anything afloat.” She had a storied career, making twenty passages to the east from San Francisco - many of them fast runs - before she was sold to the Australian trade in 1882. She went missing in 1886. The command by Jones dates this card to 1863. It measures 4 x 6 1/2 inches and sports a striking patriotic design. There is just a trace of abrasion to the last two letters in “America” in the lower right. Still in near-fine condition. $2500

Broadside. PLEASE PUT THIS IN A CONSPICUOUS PLACE!... NOW LOADING AT PIER 9 EAST RIVER THE VERY SUPERIOR BOSTON BUILT CLIPPER SHIP FAIR WIND.
Folio, printed in display type in two colors. 20 1/2 x 14 inches. The Fair Wind, 1299 tons, was built by Briggs in South Boston in 1855. According to Howe and Matthews her prime San Francisco years were 1855-1858, under captains Allen and Strout. She was sold to the British in 1866. Bruce Roberts rightly points out that broadsides advertising ship sailings pre-dated sailing cards. This hitherto unknown example is evidence that broadsides were also used simultaneously with cards, at least since 1855 when the Fair Wind was launched. They probably failed to survive because they were cheap, flimsy and common. How many McDonald's hamburger wrappers will survive in 2150? Certainly rare; possibly a singular example. (The Peabody-Essex Museum has an 1852 broadside printed on cloth advertising a sailing to Panama. Nothing else from this era comes close.) No copies reported on Worldcat. None in LC, NYPL, AAS or NYHS collections. $30000

Broadside. SPECIAL NOTICE! SAN FRANCISCO SHIPPERS ARE PARTICULARLY INVITED TO VISIT ONE OF THE FINEST AND BEST CLIPPERS AFLOAT AND JUDGE FOR THEMSELVES. THE ELEGANT A-1 FIRST CLASS CLIPPER SHIP GARIBALDI, EMERY, MASTER, IS RECEIVING HER CARGO AT PIER 26, EAST RIVER (PECK SLIP)...
Folio with red wood block display type. 38 x 23 1/2 inches. The Garibaldi was a 1336 ton ship built in Mystic in 1860 "expressly for the California trade," as the broadside boasts. According to Fairburn she was a "prominent member of the early California grain fleet." She was sold to Germany in 1880 and remained in service for at least another decade after that. I can find no information on the captain, Emery, but know of three different ship sailing cards for the Garibaldi on which he is named as master. Sutton & Co. acted as agents for several clipper ships that sailed from New York to San Francisco from the 1850s, and Nesbitt was one of the largest printers of clipper ship sailing cards. No copies reported on Worldcat. None in LC, NYPL, AAS or NYHS collections. $20000

Broadside. FIRST CLIPPER FOR SAN FRANCISCO! MAGNIFICENT SHIP. THE SPLENDID A-1 CLASS CLIPPER SHIP SUCCESS. CHASE, MASTER. AT PIER 26 EAST RIVER. HAS MOST OF HER CARGO ONBOARD...
Folio with red wood block display type. 38 x 23 1/2 inches. Boasts that the ship was "about to sail" are not uncommon on clipper ship sailing cards, and are not generally reliable. According to Forbes, the Success was built at Damariscotta Maine in 1857. Chase is listed as master on the sailing card pictured in "Yankee Ship Sailing Cards. Vol. III" and in the catalog to the Siegel sale. No copies reported on Worldcat. None in LC, NYPL, AAS or NYHS collections. $20000

Handbill. EXTRA NOTICE. FOR SAN FRANCISCO. ONLY 35 CTS. PER CUBIC FOOT ON THE FASTEST SHIP IN THE WORLD. THE CLIPPER SHIP ANDREW JACKSON...
The Andrew Jackson, a 1679 ton medium clipper, was built in Mystic in 1855. She was a fast sailer but, contrary to what the handbill would imply, set no records on any of her passages. At the time of the voyage advertised here, her captain was Johnson. She was sold to the British in 1863 and was lost in the Gaspar Straits in 1868. This attractive handbill measures 9 3/4 x 6 1/2. As is the case with the broadsides, it is rare; possibly a unique survival. $2000

Also Available

STAR OF THE WEST.

This is something I�ve never seen before. It appears to be a British clipper ship card. It advertises the �well know fast-sailing clipper ship Star of the West, 1296 tons register, H.H. Perry, Commander� departing Prince�s dock - presumably in Liverpool - for Mobile, Alabama, on or about August 30th 1866. �This fine ship has just been reclassed and metalled.� The sailing seems to coincide with the reopening of the cotton trade with Britain following the Civil War. The infrastructure was obviously still dicey, for �all goods to be taken from alongside in Mobile Bay, at shippers� expense and risk.� The agents were R.L. Gillchrist & Co. and the agents at Mobile were A.J. Ingersoll & Co. Very good condition with only a 1/4 inch crease along the lower left margin. Printed in red and black, measuring approximately 3 1/2 x 5 inches, with a cut of a clipper ship flying the Union Jack. I believe this card to be quite rare. $850

POLYNESIA.

The Polynesia boasts of being the �smallest clipper loading� and claims a passage of 104 days. She loaded at Pier 9 in New York for San Francisco, and H.G. Morse was her master. She burned in 1862 in San Francisco, so this card predates that. It is one of the more attractive unillustrated cards, printed in red and blue on a white background. It measures 6 1/2 x 4 inches and is in Very Good condition. A copy sold at the Siegel sale twenty years ago for $210. $400

EVIE REED. BOSTON TO ADELAIDE. AUGUST 8, 1881.

The Evie Reed was built in Bath in 1878. She was wrecked in 1898. She is advertised on this card as an �A1 Clipper Barque� of 714 tons, departing Lewis Wharf in Boston for Adelaide. Her master, Bradstreet Rairden (misspelled on this card) had just taken command of the Reed and was only 23 at the time. This card, printed by Rand, Avery & Co. in Boston, measures 3 7/8 x 6 5/8 inches. There are old glue marks on the back, but it is otherwise in Fine condition. $350

MINNIE ALLEN. BOSTON TO ADELAIDE AND DUNEDIN. SEPT. 6, 1880.

The Minnie Allen was a 662 ton bark built in Bath, Maine in 1874. Her master on this voyage was a Captain Small. She burned to the water in the Philippines in 1885. This card, printed by Rand, Avery & Co. in Boston, measures 3 7/8 x 6 5/8 inches. There are old glue marks on the back, and a tiny chip near the bottom of the card. Otherwise it is in Fine condition. $450

ZOILA. BOSTON TO MELBOURNE. AUG. 11, 18801.

The Zoila was a 982 ton bark built in 1873 in Cape St. Ignace, Canada. Her master was a man named Peregrine. Oddly she is advertised as �succeeding the Barque Wylo.� This card, printed by Rand, Avery & Co. in Boston, measures 3 7/8 x 6 5/8 inches. There are old glue marks on the back, otherwise it is in Fine condition. $450

ASTERION.

Nesbitt, printer. E. C. Gardner, Commander. Coleman Line. 103 x 165 mm. Asterion was a medium clipper, built by Stetson at Chelsea, Mass. in 1854. She displaced 1135 tons and was ?built for carrying capacity, rather than speed, although her passages averaged very fast.? - American Clipper Ships. p. 25-27. She joined the California trade about 1860 and completed the passage advertised on this card in 1862, with Hurd, rather than Gardner as Commander. She was lost in 1863. A similar Asterion card in about this condition sold for $1200 in 1990 at the Siegel sale. This card is clean and bright except for an old fold in the upper right, and a small spot and corner chip in the lower left.

$2000.00

FEARLESS.

Nesbitt, printer. Thos. A. Holt, Commander. Coleman Line. 166 x 103 mm. Fearless was built by Pook in 1853 and, according to Ship Sailing Cards, vol. I, pp. 16-17, she ?is mentioned as resembling a yacht... The Fearless was a fast sailer, made a fine record, and visited many of the usual ports.? She wound up in the lumber trade out of Halifax. An example showing similar wear sold at the Siegel sale in 1990 for $500. This card shows some surface wear and an old fold along the left edge. It is in good condition.

$1500.00

Junius

This card is dated October 1861, in type in the lower lefthand corner, which meant the Junius sailed during the Civil War. All such cards are rare on the market. Printed in blue and gold. Card measures 3 5/16 x 5 3/4. Faint watermark in the upper third of the card, light chipping along top edge, not even touching ruled margin. Written on the back of the card is "Mess. Lemoyne & Bell 24 William Street." A copy of this card with a chip in the lower right corner sold for $260 at the Siegel sale in 1990.

$400.00

Previous Collections

The following collections have already sold. They are listed here as a reference.

GEORGE PEABODY. This card measures 105 x 165 mm. Nesbitt, printer. J.D. Paine, Commander. Coleman Line. The George Peabody was built in Medford, Mass. 1853. She weighed 1397 tons, and was condemned at Valparaiso in 1881. The shipping firm, Coleman's, was a New York firm. See Fairburn, V, VI. American Clipper Ships, Vol. I, p. 224. A tanned and spotted copy of this card sold at Siegel sale, (1990) for $650. This card has light oxidation near the bottom and glue marks on the back, and is otherwise in Good condition.

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SUSAN FEARING.
This is a large and interesting card, measuring 116 x 180 mm. It is interesting because the image is identical to the Fanny S. Perley card which was used as the cover illustration on the catalog for the Siegel sale in 1990. It is a most attractive scene, showing a ship loading her cargo at a New York dock. The name of the ship, printed on the foresail, has been changed to Susan Fearing. The commander has changed from York to H. Newcomb, and the agent is now Randolph M. Cooley rather than Babcock, Cooley & Co. According to "Yankee Ship Sailing Cards" vol. III, the Susan Fearing was built in 1861 in East Boston by Paul Curtis. The card boasts that "she is one of Paul Curtis' best, and only one year old" which dates the card in 1862. Light oxidation on right margin, old glue marks on back. The Fanny S. Perley card sold for $1900 at the Siegel sale in 1990.
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May 2005 Acquisitions

CALYPSO.

Nesbitt, printer. Baker, Commander. Coleman Line. 103 x 164 mm. Though vessels of this name appeared during the War of 1812, in the 1820s, and in the coastal trade (including that famous packet schooner Calypso) there is no record in any of the usual sources of this clipper ship. The text on the card says, ?This little Clipper is new, and built at NEWBURYPORT, expressly for the CALIFORNIA AND CHINA trade.? Obviously a scarce card. Light corner and edge wear, else in very good condition.

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CARRIER DOVE.

Nesbitt, printer. Jackson, Commander. Coleman Line. 162 x 101 mm. This is one of the most distinctive and charming sailing card images. A similar card brought $1400 at the Siegel sale in 1990. The Carrier Dove was built at Baltimore in 1855. According to American Clipper Ships, I, pp. 51-52 she was ?said to have been of beautiful model.? She ran aground in 1876 and was lost. This card show light corner wear, is otherwise in very good condition.

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EMERALD ISLE.

Nesbitt, printer. Cornish, Commander. Coleman Line. 104 x 166 mm. The Emerald Isle was an extreme clipper of 1736 tons, built in Bath, ME in 1853. See Cutler, Greyhounds, p. 426. On or before 1885 she was sold to the Dutch. She is pictured and described on pp. 26-27 of Ship Sailing Cards, vol. II. This attractive card shows only light soiling at the corners, with a single small chip at the top margin.

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FAVORITA.

Nesbitt, printer. James Brown, Commander. Coleman Line. 104 x 165 mm. Favorita, 1194 tons, was built in Mystic, CT in 1862. In 1876 she was sold to the Germans, and she survived at least until 1891. Fairburn III, p. 1692. Ship Sailing Cards, II, pp. 36-37 features a card of the same name with a less attractive black and white image, which also sold at the Siegel sale (1990) for $850. This card is bright and in very good condition, with only light corner wear.

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GOV. MORTON.

Nesbitt, printer. L. W. Holt, Commander. Coleman Line. 166 x 103 mm. The Gov. Morton was a medium clipper of 1303 tons, built in Somerset, Mass. in 1851. Horton was master of the ship prior to 1868. She burned in 1877, after twenty years in the California trade. See American Clipper Ships I, pp. 247-250. The card is described and pictured in Ship Sailing Cards, vol. III, pp. 45-46. A similar card brought $900 in the Siegel sale in 1990. This card shows light corner wear and a scratch on the top edge. It is otherwise in very good condition.

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LIVE OAK.

Nesbitt, printer. W.O. Alden, Commander. Coleman Line. 164 x 105 mm. ?The only Live Oak we found mentioned was a record in Lloyd?s Register of 1877 of a British vessel of this name... built at Mattapoisett, Mass., in 1832.? Ship Sailing Cards vol. III, pp. 58-59. This card certainly predates her British registration. Not in Siegel Sale catalog. Light corner wear, a handsome image.

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NORWAY.

Nesbitt, printer. Coombs, Commander. Coleman Line. 103 x 165 mm. Fairburn, p. 1558, cites a 2050 ton ship of this name built in 1857 in New York. Her maiden voyage was to China and on her return her cargo of coolies mutinied. 70 of them were killed in the ensuing melee. If this is indeed the same vessel, the image on the card is an ironic contrast to the violence that occured aboard her. There is no record of this card anywhere. Light corner wear, otherwise in very good condition.

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SYREN.

Nesbitt, printer. Green, Commander. Coleman Line. 104 x 164 mm. The Syren was a medium clipper, 876 tons, built in Medford, Mass. in 1851. She was condemned and sold in 1888. Repaired and renamed Margaraida, of Buenos Ayres, she appeared in Lloyd?s Register as late as 1920, giving her the distinction of being the longest surviving member of the clipper fleet. This card dates from around 1861, when she returned to the California trade. American Clipper Ships II, pp. 653-56. Ship Sailing Cards II, pp. 82-83. A rather discolored copy of this card sold at the Siegel sale (1990) for $750. This copy shows edge chipping and old creases on both lower corners.

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WESTERN CONTINENT.

Nesbitt, printer. Lull, Commander. Coleman Line. 104 x 165 mm. An interesting image, picturing the opening of the west, fantasizing about the ideal 100 day passage, and showing the Chincha Islands, a major source of the guano that was such an important cargo. The Western Continent was a 1272 ton ship built in Maine in 1853 for Boston owners. A similar card in worse condition sold at the Siegel sale in 1990 for $500. This card has a light crease in the top edge, some surface wear, and light corner wear.

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WM. CHAMBERLAIN.

Nesbitt, printer. Carver, Commander. Coleman Line. 103 x 164 mm. The Chamberlain was a 950 ton vessel built in 1854 by William Cramp in Pennsylvania. According to Ship Sailing Cards vol III, pp. 98-99, little is known about her, other than the fact that this is a scarce card. See Queens, p. 384. This is a striking image, the only clipper ship card that shows a ship?s stern. It accents this feature with highlights in gold and dramatic shading. A similar card sold for $850 at the Siegel sale in 1990. The present card shows light corner wear but is otherwise in very good condition.

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ARCHER

The Archer was a 905 ton clipper launched in New York in 1852. She had a longer than average life, lasting nearly thirty years, and was reputed to be a fast sailer, her average to San Francisco being 118 days. She once made New York from San Francisco in 99 days. She survived many mishaps including a grounding in China, a hurricane off Cape Hatteras and a near- foundering off Cape Horn. She foundered at sea in 1880, but the crew was rescued. This full color card bears the image of an archer reminiscent of the Robin Hood cards. It is unusual in that it was in the Boston - SanFrancisco trade, departing from Lewis' Wharf. It was printed in Boston by Watson's press, and it is scarce, not appearing in the Siegel sale. It has one small chip at the lower left corner but is otherwise in Excellent condition.

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Black Prince

The Black Prince was a medium clipper ship of 1061 tons launched in Newburyport, Mass. 1856. In that year she made a passage from San Francisco to Hong Kong in 38 days. Her New York to San Francisco passages were less impressive. Her crew mutinied in 1858, forcing her to put into Rio, and adding considerably to her passage time. According to this card she was scheduled to sail Saturday, May 5th, which would have been in 1858. So this could well have been the voyage on which the mutiny occurred. She was lost in 1864 with all hands. This card has chipping and pinholes at all 4 corners, and one small spot on the card, but is otherwise in Very Good condition. The color image shows two knights jousting.

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Golden Era

This unusual card measures 3 1/4" wide by 5 1/2" high. It is unusual in that the Golden Era was engaged in the South American trade, sailing from New York to Valparaiso and Callao. Most clipper ship card were printed for the New York - San Francisco trade. It is also unusual in that it has a list of 32 vessels dispatched by the Thorndike line, which advertises itself on this card as the "only line for Valparaiso & Callao." A vessel of this name was launched for Thorndike in 1853. However, it was a 443 ton bark and was employed in the New Oreleans trade. This is likely this is a later ship of the same name, since it is stated on the card to be "600 tons." Wm. Bartlett was the agent, and the color vignette on this card shows a man on a tropical island holding the Bartlett flag. A full rigged ship sails from a palm treed Pacific island in the background. Quite scarce, not in Siegel sale. Pinholes in corners, with chip missing from upper left corner. Otherwise in Very Good condition.

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Morning Star

This 1105 ton clipper ship was launched in 1853 from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She was fine of line and heavily sparred and she made some outstanding runs. In 1863 she was captured by the Confederate privateer Alabama, but since the cargo was owned by neutrals she was released under a $60,000 bond. Shortly after this she was sold to the British and made some Australian runs for the famous Black Ball line. Scarce, not in the Siegel sale. This card shows light surface rubbing, but is in Very Good condition, with no chips or pinholes.

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The following collection of clipper ship cards has already been sold. The images and descriptions remain as a reference.

In 1848, prior to the discovery of gold, three ships from the east coast called at San Francisco Bay. The following year over 700 arrived. As commerce increased speed became incredibly important, and the American clipper ship began the final phase of its development. Clipper ship sailing cards saw their greatest use in the 1850's and 1860's, as the many ship lines competed to attract freight. Their bright colors and attractive designs were aimed at catching the eye of brokers and prospective shippers. In fact, these cards are historically significant as the earliest form of multicolor business advertising in America. In maritime history, they represent the golden age of wooden sailing ship technology. Since each card refers to a specific vessel, each is also a document of specific history pertaining to that vessel, listing such information as sailing time, port of origin, and captain. It has been estimated (Siegel catalog, 1990) that only about 3000 clipper ship cards survive today, and most of these are in institutional collections. This is an unparalleled private collection that has never previously appeared on the market. It includes many excellent examples of New York and Boston cards, and some cards of great rarity, such as the Audubon card (one other example known). In today's market it would take many years to assemble such a collection.

BLACK HAWK

165 x 105 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Doane, Master. Sutton Line.

1175 tons. Built by Wm. Webb in New York in 1856. Medium clipper. Made 20 CA passages. "Outstanding for longevity, number of voyages and length of passages... stands third of all clipper ships on all counts." Last appeared in Baltimore in 1880. This card dates 1861-1866. Fairburn II, pp. 1521-22; VI, 3775. ACS I, p. 41

Small, light spot in lower right. Written up in SS Cards. I. pp 4-5 (different image pictured). This card, with a corner crease, sold at the Siegel sale (1990) for $725.

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C. A. FARWELL

104 x 165 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Girard, Commander. Coleman's California Line.

I can find no reference to a vessel of this name. Fairburn V, p. 3045, cites a "Farwell", 698 ton vessel built in Newbury, Mass. in 1841.

Old creases resulting in minor loss of image in a few places.

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CHALLENGER

104 x 168 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Watson, Master. Coleman's California Line.

The Challenger was designed by Pook and launched in East Boston in 1853. There is a writeup of her eventful career in SS Cards III pp.18-20. She was noted for having returned from Shanghai "the most valuable cargo of tea and silk ($2,000,000) ever to be laden in one bottom." She was sold to the Peruvian government in 1863 and abandoned off the coast of Mexico in 1875. ACS pp. 70-72.

This card has an abrasion on the lower left hand corner, with loss of text.

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CHARGER

167 x 113 mm. Lester, Commander. Samuel Osgood Line.

Medium clipper, 1169 tons, built in Portsmouth, NH in 1856. "Said to have been the most costly ship of her size put afloat up to that time..." ACS I, pp. 82-85. Lester took over command in 1865. She was wrecked in the Pacific in 1873.

Upper left corner torn with loss of border and text. Fancy type, no image. A copy of this card, discolored on the right side, sold at the Siegel sale (1990) for $350.

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CHIEFTAN

110 x 172 mm. Watson's Press. McGuire, Commander. Winsor Line.

I can find no mention of this vessel or her commander in the standard reference sources. However, Winsor was a Boston line (see Cutler, Queens p. 267). The builder mentioned on the card, Paul Curtis, worked in Medford and East Boston, where he built 17 clipper ships in the 1850s (Fairburn III, p.1678). This card probably dates from the 1850s.

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CONQUEST

165 x 106 mm. Howes, Master. Sutton Line.

Listed in Cutler, Greyhounds as having made a 156 day California passage in 1857. This information is repeated in Fairburn III, p. 1889. No other information available.

No image. A card of this name, bearing a different image, and discolored at top, sold in the Siegel sale (1990) for $575.

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CREMORNE
148 x 89 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Gates, Master. Sutton Line.

Built in 1862, Mystic, CT. 1091 tons. "The ship has to her credit runs of 102, 106, 111, and 113 days from the Golden Gate to New York ... On June 1, 1870, the Cremorne passed throught the Golden Gate bound for Liverpool ... and she was never heard from again." Fairburn V, pp. 2860-61.

A different card of the same name, with no decoration, sold at the Siegel sale (1990) for $120. A different card of the same name but bearing a differerent image appears in SS Cards, pp. 17-18.

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CREMORNE

103 x 164 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Gates, Master. Coleman's California Line.

Built in 1862, Mystic, CT. 1091 tons. "The ship has to her credit runs of 102, 106, 111, and 113 days from the Golden Gate to New York... On June 1, 1870, the Cremorne passed through the Gloden Gate bound for Liverpool... and she was never heard from again." Fairburn V, pp. 2860-62.

Visually, a lovely card. Two crease marks on corner, but no major flaws.

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DASHING WAVE

82 x 140 mm. Watson's Press. Daniel D. Carlton, Commander. Winsor Line. Boston.

Medium clipper, 1054 tons, built in Portsmouth, NH, 1853. Carlton took command in 1866 and made one voyage. She survived until 1920. ACS I, pp. 115-119.

A chipped and creased copy of this card sold at the Siegel sale (1990) for $100.

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E. SOUTHARD

115 x168 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Howes, Commander. Coleman Line.

I can find no mention of this vessel in any of the standard references.

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EMERALD ISLE

115 x 169 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Cornish, Commander. Coleman Line.

Extreme clipper, 1736 tons, built in Bath, ME in 1853 (Cutler, Greyhounds, p.426). On or before 1885 she was sold to the Dutch.

This attractive card is pictured and described on pp. 26-27 of SS Cards, vol. II.

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ENDEAVOUR

166 x 104 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Doane, Master. Sutton & Co. Dispatch Line.

Medium clipper, built at East Boston in 1856, 960 tons. Doane commanded her until 1868. She was burned in Japan in 1875. ACS p. 165.

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FAVORITA

115 x 167 mm. Nesbitt, printer. James Brown, Commander. Coleman Line.

Favorita, 1194 tons, was built in Mystic, CT in 1862. In 1876 she was sold to the Germans, and she survived at least until 1891. Fairburn III, p. 1692.

SS Cards, II, pp. 36-37 features a card of the same name with a less attractive black and white image, which also sold at the Siegel sale (1990) for $850.

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FLORENCE NIGHTENGALE

137 x 210 mm. Nesbitt, printer. E. W. Holmes, Commander. Coleman Line.

Canadian-built clipper, 1362 tons, 1855. Fairburn IV, p. 2322.

Corner chips and folds. Discoloration and wear to side and bottom edge. A copy of this card, severely discolored on the top and right side, sold for $450 at the Siegel sale (1990).

FREE TRADE

105 x 165 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Drinkwater, Commander. Robinson Line.

According to Cutler (Greyhounds, p. 333) she was in the Australian trade at least as late as 1857. Faiburn VI, p. 4039 lists her as being built in Newburyport in 1854.

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GARIBALDI.

167 x 105 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Emery, Master. Sutton Line.

Built 1860, Mystic, CT. 1336 tons. "A prominent member of the early California grain fleet." Fairburn V, p. 2860. She was sold to the Germans in 1880. This vessel is mentioned in SS Cards II, pp. 37-38. Though a different image is given, the master, Emery, is the same.

Upper right corner chip, with loss to border. Wear to other corners. Two different images than this one of the Garibaldi brought $900 and $800 at the Siegel sale (1990).

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GENERAL GRANT

138 x 82 mm. Winsor Line. Boston card.

I can find no mention of this vessel in the literature. I have been told this is a particularly scarce card, though there is a copy in the Peabody-Essex Museum.

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GEORGE PEABODY

105 x 165 mm. Nesbitt, printer. J.D. Paine, Commander. Coleman Line.

Built in Medford, Mass. 1853, 1397 tons. ACS I, p. 224. Condemned at Valparaiso in 1881. The shipping firm, Coleman's, was a New York firm. Fairburn, V, VI.

A tanned and spotted copy sold at Siegel (1990) for $650.

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GOVERNOR MORTON

168 x 105 mm. L. W. Horton, Commander. Coleman Line.

Medium clipper, 1303 tons, built in Somerset, Mass. in 1851. Burned in 1877. Twenty years in the California trade, 1851-55 and 1861 on. Horton was master to the ship prior to 1868. ACS I, pp. 247-250. The card is described and pictured in SS Cards III, pp. 45-46.

This card brought $900 in the Siegel sale (1990).

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GOVERNOR MORTON

168 x 106 mm. Nesbitt, printer. L. W. Horton, Commander. Coleman Line.

This card, bearing a less pictorial scene than the other Gov. Morton in the collection, brought $1050 in the Siegel sale (1990).

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GRANITE STATE

165 x 106 mm. Benj. F. Jacobs, commander. Rollinson's Line.

Built in Portsmouth, NH in 1854, 1108 tons. Wrecked in 1868. ACS I, p. 253.

A similar card at the Siegel sale (1990) brought $750.

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GRANITE STATE

165 x 106 mm. Benj. F. Jacobs, commander. Rollinson's Line.

Built in Portsmouth, NH in 1854, 1108 tons. Wrecked in 1868. ACS I, p. 253.

Some corner wear. Duplicate card.

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GUIDING STAR

104 x 168 mm. Hopken, Commander. Samuel W. Osgood Line.

Built in Newburyport in 1853, 900 tons. Condemned at Hong Kong in 1870. ACS I, p. 259.

Lower right corner fold. This card brought $725 at the Siegel sale (1990).

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HAZE

166 x 104 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Holmes, Commander. Comstock's Clipper Line.

The Haze was launched in Mystic, in 1859 for Charles Mallory of Mystic (Greyhounds, p. 447). Holmes took command of her shortly after this, worked for Mallory for 27 years, was a shipmaster for 54 years, and rounded the horn 84 times. AMS, pp 288-9.

Fancy lettering only, printed in red, blue, green and gold.

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JEREMIAH THOMPSON

101 x 163 mm. Kennedy, Commander. Comstock & Co.

Jeremiah Thompson was a 1900 ton ship built in Greenpoint, Long Island, in 1854. She was named after one of the founders of the Black Ball Line. She entered the San Francisco trade in 1868. Fairburn V, pp. 2826, 2868.

This is one of the few clipper ship cards with printing on the back. The card quotes a NY Herald article about her 103 day passage from San Francisco to New York "last Saturday" and gives the times of her passages in the Atlantic trade.

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LINDA

103 x 165 mm. Nesbitt, printer. John Collins, Commander. Coleman Line.

1077 tons. Built Richmond, ME, 1853. Faiburn V, p. 3314.

Minor wear to lower left corner of card. Sold at Siegel sale (1990) for $675.

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LIVE OAK

165 x 116 mm. Nesbitt, printer. W. O. Alden, Commander. Coleman Line.

Minor corner wear. "The only Live Oak we found mentioned was a record in Lloyd's Register of 1877 of a British vessel of this name... built at Mattapoisett, Mass., in 1832." SS Cards III, pp. 58-59. This card certianly predates her British reqistration.

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LOGAN

165 x 105 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Sherwood, Master. Sutton Line.

Fairburn (V, p. 2925) and Cutler (Greyhounds, pp. 445) list a 1541 ton ship of this name built in Quincy, Mass. in 1856. The card is pictured in SS Cards II, pp. 60-61. "This card reproduces one of the most attractive Indian scenes..."

Minor corner wear. A copy of this card, with minor spotting and corner wear, sold at the Siegel sale (1990) for $900.

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LOOKOUT

165 x 106 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Nugent, Master. Sutton Line.

The Lookout was built in Warren, RI in 1853, 1068 tons. She was in the California trade from 1854 until 1871. The 112 day passage, one of two listed on this card, was made in 1858. She was wrecked off Japan in 1878. ACS I, p. 368.

Minor corner wear. Cards of this name with different images sold at the Siegel sale (1990) for $850 and $500. The vessel is listed in SS Cards III, p. 63, but a different card is pictured.

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MARY BANGS

108 x 170 mm. Watson, printer. Bangs, Commander. Glidden & Williams Line.

980 tons. Built in East Boston in 1856. Wrecked off Mexico in 1874. Greyhounds, p. 445.

A pretty card in very good condition.

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MARY OGDEN

143 x 84 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Hathaway, Master. Sutton & Co. Dispatch Lines.

969 ton vessel built by Chase & Davis, Warren, RI in 1854. ACS, p. 385. Fairburn says of his ship, "end unknown" (III, p. 1665).

Type and decoration only, printed in blue, red, black and gold. Edges trimmed, with loss of outside border lines.

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MATCHLESS

107 x 172 mm. Watson's Press. Dawes, Commander. Glidden and Willaims Line, Boston.

Built in 1853 in Chelsea, Mass. 1053 tons. Lost in 1857. ACS II, p. 388.

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OLIVIA DAVIS

115 x 186 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Shourds, Master. Merchant's Express Line.

I can find no mention of this vessel in the literature.

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PARSEE

163 x 102 mm. Baker, Commander. Comstock's Clipper Line.

I can find no record of this vessel.

This card is fancy type only, printed in green, red and black, no image. A few small edge tears, with no loss.

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PRINCESS

113 x 167 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Seymour, Commander. Comstock Line.

A 1080 ton ship was built in East Boston by Hugh McKay in 1858. (Fairburn V, p. 2916.) No other information about this vessel is available.

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REYNARD

128 x 185 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Seymour, Commander. Comstock Line.

Medium clipper, 1029 tons, built in Newburyport, Mass. in 1856. The information on this card seems to contradict the information in ACS II, pp. 524-526, that in 1859, "the Reynard was then withdrawn from the California run and made a number of voyages between New York and England with Captain Seymour in command". This card advertizes a fifth San Francisco voyage with Seymour in command.

Upper left corner folded, edge and corner wear. This card is pictured and described in SS Cards III, pp. 84-85.

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ROBIN HOOD

105 x 168 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Matthews, Commander. Merchant's Express Line.

Extreme clipper, 1181 tons, built at Medford, Mass. in 1854. Burned 1869. Matthews was the second captain of the Robin Hood, dating this card early in her career. ACS II, pp. 529-530. This card is pictured and described in SS Cards I, pp. 44-45.

A slightly different card, with a torn and chipped corner, sold for $375 at the Siegel sale (1990).

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ROBIN HOOD

106 x 169 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Kelley, Master. Sutton Line.

Extreme clipper, 1181 tons. Built at Medford, Mass. in 1854. Burned 1869. ACS II, pp. 529-530.

Surface wear. Another copy, same image. Also shows surface wear. This card is not in the Peabody-Essex collection, though there is a card with a similar image and different text.

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SEA SERPANT

168 x 102 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Sutton Line.

Built in Portsmouth, NH in 1850. Extreme clipper, 1402 tons. Interestingly, her passage times as printed on the card do not correspond with those given in Cutler's Greyhounds. Sold to Norway in 1874. On register as late as 1890s. This card published prior to her record passage in 1865. Fairburn VI, pp. 1651-2. ACS II p. 551.

Lower right corner chip with loss of text. A copy of this card with minor chipping sold at the Siegel sale (1990) for $1250.

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SEAMAN'S BRIDE

110 x 172 mm. Watson's Press. Wyman, Commander. Winsor Line. Boston.

Medium clipper, 758 tons, built in Belfast, ME in 1856 (Cutler, Greyhounds, p. 445). Lost in the Pacific in 1865.

This card is pictured and described in SS Cards II, pp. 77-78.

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SHIRLEY

165 x 104 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Brown, Commander. Coleman's California Line..

A 911 ton vessel of this name is listed in QUEENS as being employed in the Liverpool service in 1852. (p. 373). Her 1860 passage to San Francisco under Capt. Brown was made in 160 days )Fairburn, VI, p. 3862, 3894.)

A copy of this card, with oxidation along the upper portion, sold for $220 at the Siegel sale. This example is in much better condition. A card of very similar design, for the "Dashing Wave" in similar condition, sold for $550 at the Siegel sale.

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ST. CHARLES

166 x 106 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Colley, Master. Sutton Line.

Built in Thomaston, ME in 1866. 1166 tons. Made 10 Cape Horn passages. Burned at Japan, 1880. Fairburn III, pp. 1705, 1738; V, p. 3402.

Minor surface wear. No image. Sold at Siegel sale (1990) for $200.

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ST. JAMES

167 x 105 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Black, Master. Sutton Line.

1286 tons, built in 1867 in Richmond, ME. Fairburn V, p. 3213.

No image.

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ST. JOSEPH

168 x 105 mm. Nesbitt, printer. J.H. Marshall, Master. Sutton Line.

1138 tons, built in Bath, ME, 1865. Sold to British in 1884. Fairburn III, p. 1705.

No image.

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SYREN

106 x 166 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Green, Commander. Coleman Line.

The Syren was a medium clipper, 876 tons, built in Medford, Mass. in 1851. She was condemned and sold in 1888. Repaired and renamed Margaraida, of Buenos Ayres, she appeared in Lloyd's Register as late as 1920, giving her the distinction of being the longest surviving member of the clipper fleet. This card dates from around 1861, when she returned to the California trade. ACS II, pp. 653-56. SS Cards II, pp. 82-83.

A rather discolored copy of this card sold at the Siegel sale (1990) for $750.

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THATCHER MAGOUN

150 x 85 mm. Nesbitt, printer. Baker, Master. Sutton & Co. Dispatch Line.

Medium clipper, built in 1856 in Medford, Mass. "... a fine looking ship, conceded to be a fast sailer and credited with a record of 16 knots." ACS, pp. 661-663. Baker assumed command in 1861 and made three voyages. In 1874 she was sold to Norway and was reputedly lost in the 1880's off the coast of Africa. She is the subject of a book by Hollis French, and there is a model of her at Phillips Academy.

This card is trimmed at the edges with loss of end rules. A copy of this card, showing oxidation to the right hand side, sold at the Siegel sale (1990) for $450.

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VITULA

167 x 108 mm. Nesbitt, printer. W.F. Peck, Commander. Coleman Line.

1187 tons, built in East Boston in 1855. Condemned at Rio in 1867. ACS II, p. 681.

No image.

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WHITE SWALLOW

113 x 167 mm. Chas. Sears Engraver & Printer. Prince, Commander. Comstock Line.

Extreme clipper, 985 tons. Launched in 1853, Medford, Mass. In 1865 there was a bloodless mutiny on this vessel. The case was decided in favor of the crew, and for many years the unique "White Swallow Case" was a topic of conversation in seafaring circles. She was lost off the Azures in 1871. Prince made just one voyage as master of the White Swallow, probably in the late 50s or early 60s. ACS II, pp. 696-701.

Center fold, some edge and corner wear. A copy of this card showing spotting and discoloration brought $1700 at the Siegel sale (1990).

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WILLIAM TELL

103 x 165 mm. Nesbitt, printer. French, Commander. Coleman's California Line.

This card is pictured in SSC I, p. 97. They state there is only a record of a vessel of this name built in 1821. However, Fairburn also lists a William Tell as an 1153 ton ship built by Westervelt & Mackey in New York in 1850. She was in the Atlantic packet trade until 1862. Fairburn II, pp. 1169, 1215. French was a veteran of the California trade in the 1840s and 50s.

This card has a chip missing in the upper left hand corner, with loss of "Cole" in the top line and "For" in the second line.

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ten pound island book company