Property of a Lady Montague Dawson RSMA FRSA (1890 - 1973) ...

Estimate

£50,000 - £80,000

Property of a Lady

Montague Dawson RSMA FRSA (1890 - 1973)
The Boston Windjammer 'Lightning'
Oil on canvas
With Omell Gallery provenance sticker on reverse

The clipper ship 'Lightning' was designed and built by Donald McKay of East Boston during the winter of 1853-1854 at a cost of £30,000. She registered 1,468 tonnes, with a length of 244 feet, a beam of 44 feet and a depth of 23 feet. Her main mast was 164 feet tall and her main yard was 95 feet long. When under all plain sail, without her stunsails, she set 30 sails; a wonderful expanse of canvas. 

James Baines, the owner of 'Lightning', sent his senior captain Bully Forbes across the Atlantic to take command of the clipper, and Forbes along with the aid of Captain Lauchlan McKay, the brother of the ship's designer Donald McKay, raced the 'Lightning' across to Liverpool in 13 days, 19.5 hours.

Later, under the new command of the famous Captain Anthony Enright, 'Lightning' proved a favourite with passengers, and became a troop ship during the Indian Mutiny in 1857. On 11 October 1869, when loading wool at Geelong, the ship caught fire and was eventually scuttled, ending the history of one of the world's most illustrious sailing ships.

Dimensions:
(Canvas) 27.5 in. (H) x 41.5 in. (W)
(Frame) 34 in. (H) x 50 in. (W)