Portrait of the a steam-assisted British Schooner-Yacht at sea 1884 - the vessel is shown under moderate sail and steam on a calm sea in the Bay of Naples, crew is shown on deck - Gouache on paper, 22,5 x 33 cm - signed lower right and dated, on the first mast are shown the identification flags and on the second mast the Yacht Club burgee, on the last mast the Blue Ensign - in a period maple frame, good condition - Oporto Collection Portugal

Note: From the yacht burgee it can be supposed that this very large Schooner Yacht belonged to the RLYC (Royal London Yacht Club, founded 1836). The sign of the Yacht Club also appears on the Blue Ensign. The De Simone family were the leading Ship Portrait Artists in the port of Naples during the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th Century. They reported many of the fine Yachts owned by British, Continental and American Gentleman (often Industrial Tycoons) who visited this harbour during their cruises in the Mediterranean Sea. This is for a De Simone gouache an early work and was most likely executed by Antonio De Simone, but probably also by another member of this family, except of Tomaso DeS. who worked in a different style.

Ship Portrait of the Royal Yacht Squadron Schooner *ZARA* ca. 1874 - the large sailing yacht is shown under full sail at moderate sea in the Bay of Naples with Vesuvius and Sorrent in the background - Gouache on paper, ca. 40 by 50 cm (16 by 20 inch) image, with frame 58 x 66 cm (23 by 26 inch) - signed "L. Roberto Naples" and inscribed with the name of yacht - light age signs, otherwise ok / good condition (no dark dust stripes) - period maple frame and under old glass - Oporto Collection Portugal

Note: Luigi Roberto is - beside of the De Simone Family - the best known Ship Portrait Artist who worked in Naples and produced detailled portraits of the sail or steam vessels and yachts which visited this Italian port. The Gouache technique is typical for the Italian ship portraits of this period and in contrast to watercolors the appearance of Gouaches is brighter and the colors are opaque.

Ship Portrait of the German Steamer *Anton von Kiel - Capt. E. Aereboe* at sea off Hong Kong 1890 - the steamer is shown in the Chinese Sea with two junks in the background - Oil on canvas on original stretcher, 53 by 77 cm (21 by 30 inch), with frame 65 x 88 cm (25 1/2 by 34 1/2 inch) - signed "Heinrich Reimers", dated 1890 and inscribed with title as shown above - cleaned, smaller areas with repair / retouch only, in good condition, original frame - Oporto Collection Portugal

Note: Reimers was a Captain and Pilot himself and worked in Kiel as a ship portrait artist. The steamer "Anton" was owned by the shipping company "Sartori & Berger" in Kiel and was obviously used for coastal trade in Far East. This is a light color painting with a romantic touch in the sky and an interesting background. It represents a typical and well done ship portrait by this known artist.

Ship Portrait of the three-masted Portuguese Steamer "Peninsular" 1903, the vessel from Lisbon is shown under full steam at fair weather - Oil on canvas - 46 x 76,5 cm (18x30 in), framed 58,5 x 90 cm (23x35 1/2 in) - signed lower right "A. Jacobsen" and dated 1903, ship`s name on hull and flag – professionally cleaned and restored at margins of canvas, signs of age and old dust, ready to hang - on the original stretcher and in a valuable and hand made new 22 Karat genuine Gold Leaf Frame – Oporto Collection Portugal

Note: Flying the ensign of the shipping company and the Portuguese flag. The sketch of this painting is in the Mariners Museum, VA and a similar painting is mentioned in the book by Sniffen. Provenance: Private Collection Martha`s Vineyard

Ship Portrait of the Dutch steamer *Sumbawa* under sail and steam in the Chinese Sea, ca. 1880 - the steamer is shown at the open sea in good weather conditions - Oil on canvas on original China Trade stretcher, 46 by 60 cm (18 by 23 5/8 inch), with frame 52 x 66 cm (20 by 26 inch) - inscribed on the ensign with the ship`s name and the sign of the shipping company on foremast - only light China Trade crackle, cleaned, smaller areas with repair, original frame - Oporto Collection Portugal

Note: A light, brilliant and strong color work with a romantic touch in the left sky. Detailled execution - and as it cannot often be seen at China Trade paintings - without extensive crackle and in the original Chinese frame. Paintings like this are offered only rarely on the market.

Ship Portrait of the Steamer "Canadian Transporter" off Yokohama 1923, with Mount Fuji and a the harbour in the background - Oil and Gouache on Silk - 34 x 49 cm (13 1/4 x 19 in) - with frame 45 x 60 cm (17 3/4 x 23 5/8 in) - signed "H. Shimidzu, 1923" lower left - good condition, with UV-Protection Acrylglass - period gold frame - Oporto Collection Portugal

Note: Typical ship portrait artists appeared in Japan only in the 20th Century. The first pierhead painter was Shimidzu who was located in Yokohama and created a number of small or medium size oil paintings on silk and also watercolours. His well done works usually depict steamers or motorships and often he added some local background (typically Mount Fuji). Later he was followed by T. Hagiwara. Shimidzu is represented in the Peabody Museum Salem, mentioned in their Catalogue and in other literature about Marine Artists (eg. Archibald, Dictionary of Sea Painters).

Ship Portrait of the Belgian Steamer "Euphrates" - shown under full steam heading for Turkey off a coastline with other vessels in the background - signed lower left "H. Mohrmann" - Oil on canvas, 42 by 67 cm (16 1/2 by 26 1/2 in) plus frame - regilded old frame - good condition - Oporto Collection Portugal

Note: The ensign of the shipping company and the background coastline has not yet been identified. This is a typical work by Mohrmann from the early years of the 20th Century. Click on the image to see a larger illustration. Photo Copyright..

Original Half Hull Steamer Model from Kiel, Germany around 1910 - the block model carved out of limewood with an ebonized area for the screw (between rudder and back of the hull), mounted on a later board of tropical hardwood (looks like rosewood) with supported holes for wall hanging on the back - dimensions of the model are 85 x 10 cm (33 1/2 x 4 in) and about 7 cm (2 3/4 in) deep - with the backboard 92 x 16 cm (36 x 6 1/4 in) - cleaned, four small areas of filled holes at the underside (probably from previous stand mounting), four round lighter areas on the top side, in good condition and with a nice patina - Oporto Collection Portugal

Note: The hull was polished with hardwax to enforce the rich yellow patina and the soft and lightly brilliant surface and finally to protect the model from future environmental influences. This is a typical "pre-construction model" or so called "dockyard model" with was for internal use of the ship designers and builders. Unfortunately most of such models got lost or destroyed during the 20th Century, because in earlier times (until ca. 1970) they were often not - as today - considered as interesting and valuable Nautical Artifacts from the Maritime Heritage.

Half Hull Sailing Ship Model from Northeastern America, ca. 1870-1890 - the working model has been constructed with a 5-layer lamination of dark colour wood (Sandwich Construction). The wood has been carved carefully and there are construction inscriptions on the top and back with numbers, lines etc. The model is mounted on a 20th Century Teak backboard - dimensions of the model are 52 x 7 cm (20 1/2 x 2 3/4 in) and with the backboard 60 x 14 cm (24 x 5 1/2 inch) - cleaned, small areas of wear and loss in beginning of the hull, light scratches in a few places - overall in good condition and with original patina, ready to hang - Oporto Collection Portugal

High Quality Half Hull Steamer Model from Russia, early 20th Century (before 1917) - the working model has been constructed with a 13-layer lamination of medium and dark colour Hardwoods (Sandwich Construction). The wood has been carved very carefully and using highest standards. It was fitted for direct hanging on the wall. - dimensions of the model are 120 x 19,5 cm (47 1/4 x 7 3/4 in) and about 11,5 cm (4 1/2 in) deep, weight ca. 10 Kilo - marked on the backside with the Imperial Russian Eagle and the letters "R. N." and no. 12 - cleaned, small areas of wear, light scratches in a few places, small (old) repairs - overwise in good condition and with original patina - Oporto Collection Portugal

Note: This is a typical "pre-construction model" or so called "dockyard model" with was for internal use of the ship designers and builders. This excellent and well crafted Russian model is supposed to be from the St. Petersburg Dockyard, the Eagle with the double head and crown was the sign of Tsar Alexander III and pre-Revolution Russia (before 1917). Unfortunately most of such models got lost or destroyed during the 20th Century, because in earlier times (until ca. 1970) they were often not - as today - considered as interesting and valuable Nautical Artifacts from the Maritime Heritage.

Original Builder`s Half Hull Steamship Model "Agnete", Germany 1894 - the block model carved out of hardwood with added deck details, the funnel and other parts on board, on the original hardwood backboard, inscribed with the Construction Number and Ship`s Name on top and the Builder at the bottom (Howaldtswerke in Kiel, Germany) and dated 1894 with hooks for wall hanging - dimensions overall 148 cm long (58 inch) - cleaned and restored, in good condition and with a nice patina - Oporto Collection Portugal

Note: In contrast to the "pre-construction model" or so called "dockyard model" (for internal use of the ship designers and builders) this is a Presentation Builder`s Model, which was executed as a Present for the buyer of the vessel, in this case the Shipping Company Torm. Such presentation models can usually only be found in the headquarter office of old Shipping Companies - but today also in Maritime Museums and some private collections. Such Presentation Models are considered as interesting and valuable Nautical Artifacts from the Maritime Heritage.

rare Mahogony Half Hull Sailing Yacht Model from England, 1920s - the working model has been constructed with approx. 12 planks on a frame construction plus additional solid pieces for the keel and rudder. The lower, unterwater part of the hull is in a dark red color (paint restored). There are several layers of old varnish on the visible Mahogony wood (upper part of the hull above the waterline) which also include the cabin house and cockpit (all in original surface with patina). This display model is mounted on the original ebonized Pine backboard - dimensions of the model are 75 x 16 x 9 cm (29 1/2 x 6 3/8 in) and with the backboard 88 x 25 cm (34 5/8 x 10 inch) - in good condition - Private Collection, Oporto