Fine Art Emporium - The Site for Marine Art

Fine Art Emporium - Ship Portraits, Marine Art and Nautical Antiques

Art Wanted: Sell your 19th Century Ship Portrait

We are looking for works by:

Artist:	Willis, Thomas (American, born 1850 - died 1917 or 1925) - Oilpaintings with silk and velvet applications or made entirely of silk and velvet
Place:	Worked and lived in New York, USA.
Motifs:	Ship Portraits of American and European Sailing Ships and Steamers and Portraits of American Yachts
Prices:	Prices starting at US$ 800 or or British Pounds 350 or Euro 650 (Continental Europe) for smaller paintings. Prices depend on subject, size, date, quality and condition. Please send us an e-mail to receive an exact offer for your painting (free of charge for persons considering to sell their painting). In contrast to other buyers in the market we are also interested in paintings with moderate damage(s).
Notes:	Thomas Willis was an artist with a rather prolific Oeuvre and the only one world-wide who executed ship portraits in this special technique containing velvet (for the hulls) and silk (for the sails). The quality of his works is often quite different: We find smaller paintings (and even a few larger ones) which are executed with less care while others (mostly the larger ones and paintings containing a painted background in oil) are executed quite good and detailled. From time to time he co-operated also with Antonio Jacobsen who has done the water section in some known paintings by Willes. Originally all of his paintings have been delivered under glass. If the glass is missing this is not an original state of condition. Information about this artist can also be found in our book "Ship Portrait Artists".
Contact:	The FineArtEmporium is interested in the direct purchase of paintings by Thomas Willis in good condition (or with light / moderate damage) and can pay a good price. Please refer to our page "Contact" and send an e-mail to bais@gmx.de with the information requested there. You will receive an answer usually within 48-72 hours (up to a week in rare cases).

**Example of pictures by Thomas Willis:

Willis, Thomas Known works in Private Collections and in the Art Trade - Fine Art Emporium World Register of Ship Portraits

*Agnes* c. 1909 – The American Schooner Yacht of Essington, Philadelphia off the coast – Oilpainting with velvet and silk application – 30 x 40 cm – indistinctly signed – good condition, original oak frame – Private Collection - Click on the image above or here to see an image of the entire picture

*Amaranth* (von) Rostock, Capt. W.E. Maas – The German Barque under full sails off a coastline on the way to America – Oilpainting with velvet and silk applications – 50 x 80 cm – not signed, but definitely by Willis – good condition

*Athene* c. 1910 – The American Sloop Yacht at sea – Oilpainting with velvet and silk application – 47 x 61 cm – signed with initials – good condition, original oak frame

Portrait of the "S.S. Capua of Hamburg, Capt. John Sperling", ca. 1900, the steamer with auxilliary sails shown at fair weather and under full sail of an American coastline - inscribed with title lower left - Oil on canvas with silk and velvet applications - 20 1/2 by 32 1/4 inch. (52 x 82 cm) - outstanding condition (under glass, therefore very well preserved) - Private Scandinavian Collection
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Note: Thomas Willis was a contemporary of Antonio Jacobsen in New York (they did also co-operate occasionally). He is well known for his ship portraits of merchant shipping and yachts around the turn of the century and represented in several Maritime Museums in the USA. Photo Copyright is with the FineArtEmporium.

*Corona* c. 1900 – The American Schooner Yacht at sea – Oilpainting with velvet and silk application – 42 x 58 cm – signed

*G.T. Ray* (of) Sunderland / Robert Coutts Master – the American Barque at sea near of a pilot boat No. 20 and a lighthouse in the background – 47 x 71 cm – Silk and Velvet Work– good condition (some brown spotting in the sky)

*Hans & Kurt* c. 1891- S.S.Hans & Kurt Hamburg. Capt. C. Hölck -The German Steamer with auxiliary sails off American coastline with lighthouse - Oilpainting with silkwork -51 x 81,5 cm - attributed to - The Werder Collection Germany

*Holstein* von Kiel 1875 – The German Steamer with auxiliary sails set at sea with a coast in the background – Oilpainting with velvet and silk applications – 50 x 90 cm – signed and dated – in the original oak frame - Collection in Germany

Thomas Willis (American, 1850-1912) attributed to - Ship Portrait of the German Bark NANNY of Hamburg, Capt. B.H. Müller, ca. 1887, the vessel under full sail off an American coastline, a pilot Schooner "No. 5" beyond – Oilpainting with silkwork - good condition – inscribed with title - 51 x 81 cm (20 x 32 in.) – The Werder Collection

Note: The *Nanny* was bought by shipping company J.W.Burmester in January 1885 in England. The Captains were A.P.H. Baethgen, C. Wilhelmi und B.H. Müller. The NANNY stranded off Santos on May 11th, 1890 and the wreck was sold soon after at auction, the crew was saved. Click on the image to enlarge the picture. Photo Copyright is with the Werder Collection, Germany.

*Romsdale* c. 1890 – The English four–masted full–rigged Ship at sea – Velvet and Silkwork – 52 x 82cm – not signed but definitely by Willis

*Saghaya* – The American Sail and Steam Yacht at sea – Oilpainting with velvet and silk applications – 50 x 90 cm – signed "T.Willis N.Y." – good condition

*Vesta* c. 1900 – The American Schooner Yacht at sea – Oilpainting with velvet and silk application – 45 x 80 cm – not signed but definitely a Willis

*Virginia N.Y.Y.C.* 1904 – Portrait of the American Yacht – Oilpainting with velvet and silk application – 56 x 102 cm - American Collection

*Wakiva* 1910 – The American Schooner Yacht at sea – Oil with velvet and silk application – 45 x 65 cm – signed "T. Willis" and dated – good condition

*Yalona* 1904 – The American Steam Yacht of the N.Y.Y.C. at sea – Oil with velvet and silkwork – 51 x 92 cm – signed and dated – American Collection

Ship Portrait of a large American Sailing Yacht at sea, ca. 1895 - the vessel is approaching to the viewer under nearly full speed, a coastline and an American Pilot boat in the background - Oil on canvas (sea, sky and background) with ship worked out in silk and velvet (embroidery) on the original stretcher, under glass, dimensions 33 x 55 cm (13 by 21 1/2 in), with frame 46 x 69 cm (18 by 27 in) - signed, with monogram "T.W." - cleaned and in good condition - Collection in Hamburg, Germany

Note: The three-masted Yacht is flying the American Yacht Ensign as well as 3 signal flags on the last mast, on the second mast is the house flag of the owner visible and on the first mast is the ensign of the Yacht Club (not yet been identified). This was not a racing yacht but a large pleasure and cruising yacht of an American Millionaire. Please also note the numerous crew members on board. Photo Copyright is with the FineArtEmporium.

*Unidentified* c. 1900 – American Schooner–Yacht off the coast – Oilpainting with velvet and silk application – 45 x 71 cm – good condition

Ship Portrait of an American Steam and Sail Yacht at sea, ca. 1890 - the vessel is approaching to the viewer under full speed, a coastline in the background - Oil on canvas (sea, sky and background) with ship worked out in silk and velvet (embroidery), original stretcher and original frame, dimensions 31 x 46 cm (12 by 18 in), with frame 39 x 56 cm (15 1/2 by 22 in) - unsigned, with sticker of NYC artists material supplier on the back - signs of age and wear, otherwise good condition - Private Collection Atlanta (USA)

Click on the image to enlarge the picture. Photo Copyright is with the FineArtEmporium.

Please note, that we have no photos or additional information about the above ship(s) or painting(s). The paintings are only shown as examples of works by the artist and are NOT for sale. If you are interested to check paintings available for purchase please refer to our For Sale Category. Thank you