Price: $1,200.00
SKU: 9681
PUBLISHER: Published by Currier & Ives 125 Nassau St. New York.
MEDIUM: Lithograph handcolored,
DATE: undated.
EDITION SIZE: Small folio - image size 8 1/4 x 13" (21 x 33.1 cm).
DESCRIPTION: The Great Republic, launched in 1853, was the largest wooden ship in the world at the time, sharing this distinction with the steamship Adriatic. Built by the renowned shipbuilder Donald McKay, the ship was a masterpiece of naval architecture, so much so that her impressive design was immortalized in a famous lithograph by Currier and Ives. McKay intended her for trade with Australia, but just before her maiden voyage, a disastrous fire broke out in New York, leading to her scuttling in an effort to save the hull. This effort had limited success. McKay chose to abandon the wreck to his insurers, who sold the damaged hull to new owners. These new owners rebuilt the Great Republic with three decks instead of the original four. Despite her initial design for Australian routes, she was never employed there. Instead, she served on trans-Atlantic and California routes and was even contracted by the French government during the Crimean War. Her immense size posed challenges; when fully loaded, she often had difficulty accessing many ports. This necessitated partially unloading into lighters to enter locked basins for final unloading. Despite these challenges, the Great Republic achieved the fast passages McKay had envisioned, validating his design concept.
ADDITIONAL INFO:
CONDITION: Good condition and color save for minor toning.
REFERENCE: Conningham #1151.
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