Lithograph                                           Dated 1834

Unframed 15 3/4" H x 19 1/4" W       Framed 25 1/2" H x 31 3/4" W

Collection of J.Welles Henderson     Gambart & Co., London           

 

 

Presented is a graphic hand colored lithograph done in the uniform colors of twelve costumes of officers ranging in rank of Admiral through Midshipman, and of four enlisted ratings from Boatswain to 1st Class boy.

 

Uniform books and illustrations of the worlds Navies were found in on this topic which are now scarce. They served to establish rank and order and the process of a system of discipline and control. This surviving example is in its original frame and in "fine" condition.

CONDITION: The lithograph is in “fine“ original condition. The original English frame shows wear, some ding, and some worn spots and a few minor chips. None of this is objectionable and only adds to the look of its 174 year age.

PROVENANCE: The lithograph is from the personal collection of Mr. J. Welles Henderson, a distinguished historian, sailor, philanthropist and businessman. Henderson, died in 2007 at age 86, was a lawyer whose fascination with life on the open sea led to his founding the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia. As a child he received a small wood-and-metal anchor made from pieces of the USS Constitution in return for a 50-cent donation to save the historic frigate.

For the next 70 years he collected nautical artifacts and paintings, including a work by Thomas Birch - depicting the battle between the U.S. frigate United States and the British frigate Macedonian - that President John F. Kennedy displayed in the Oval Office. Before WW II he graduated from Princeton and served as an Army officer. He earned a law degree from Harvard University in 1949, and continued in that profession.

 

By the 1950s, Mr. Henderson began to develop plans for a museum. He was encouraged by his wife, who told him that he would have to do something with his prints, logbooks, carvings and naval uniforms besides stuffing them under their beds and into closets in their home in Gladwyne. In 1961, Mr Henderson launched the Philadelphia Maritime Museum with his collection in the Athenaeum on Washington Square. It moved twice before settling at Penn's Landing in 1995 and taking on a new name: the Independence Seaport Museum. Initially, he served as museum president. Later he chaired its board. He became chairman emeritus in 1990.

 

In the 1990s, Mr. Henderson and Rodney P. Carlisle wrote Jack Tar: A Sailor's Life 1750-1910. The book detailed the lives of ordinary sailors during the days of the British empire, rugged lives that included bad food, disease and severe punishment.

 

Admiral                            Captain                           Mate                          Midshipman 1st Class Petty Officer              Seaman                   1st Class Boy                     Boatswain           Surgeon                   Royal Marine Artillery         Lieutenant undress       Royal Marine

SHIPPING & PACKING: Because of its size, the sale is restricted to U.S. buyers only. The cost of shipping, packing, handling, and insurance to your destination, is an additional charge. You may email us to get these costs. We price our shipping honestly, but we expect to be reimbursed for the nominal cost of packaging materials and handling.

 

OUR UNCONDITIONAL GUARANTEE: If not completely satisfied with your purchase it may be returned, if without damage, within five days of receipt in its original packaging. Return items must be insured for their full value. A prior email authorization by us for the return is required. Unfortunately, shipping charges are not included in this offer and are non-refundable unless due to our error.