Oil on canvas painting of the American ship "Winged Racer" coming into Liverpool signed and dated "William G. York LPoll 1862". The painting is a fine example of a York painting of an American Clipper Ship. The painting depicts a port view of the ship "Winged Racer" which is passing Holyhead on the route to Liverpool. The ship is under full sale and there is a large black 5-pointed star painted on the second from the bottom sail on the fore mast. On the peak of the fore mast is a blue flag which is the American merchant flag. On the main mast is a red flag with a black five-pointed star which is the house flag for the Black Star Line. Flying off the gaff is the American flag. To the right is a steam sail ship and to the left are 2 sailing ships. The painting is a fine example of a William York painting.
Condition: The painting looks like it is in perfect condition and was lined when it was restored a few years.. There is some scattered paint in the sky. The painting retains its original fancy corners and a gold leaf mat with arched corners.
Dimensions: Painting 25. x 36, Frame: 33 in. x 44.25 inches.
Note 1: Built by Robert E. Jakson at East Boston, she was launched in November 1852. She was sold almost immediately by Secomb & Taylor to Sampson & Tappan of Boston. Her figurehead was that of a flying horse with wings extended. On her maiden voyage on 30 March 1853, she sailed from New York to San Francisco in 108 days under the command of Captain William Homan of Marblehead.
Note 2: Winged Racer completed many fast round trips to Hong Kong and China. She suffered badly during the winter of 1857 and was stranded in ice near Annapolis where she started to take on water. After being towed to safety she was sold to W.L. Taylor, for $35,000 and continued to sail to China under the command of Captain George Cumming. On 23 October, 1861, shortly after setting sail for Liverpool she hit a sunken rock. She was repaired and finally arrived in Liverpool on 30 March 1862 in 110 days. The cost of the repair had been $42,000.
On the 8th October 1863 she sailed from Manilla heading for New York with a cargo of sugar, hemp, cigars and indigo. She reached the Straits of Sunda and was captured and set alight by the Conferderate privateer Alabama
Notes 3: A superior extreme tea clipper of the Sampson & Tappan Fleet, WINGED RACER launched into a career of fast voyages, acclaim, and ultimately a terrible final fate. Birthed out of the East Boston Yard of Robert Jackson in the winter of 1852, from the design of Samuel Pook, she was the largest clipper of the Samson & Tappan Line, following their three clippers of renown built by Donald McKay: STAG HOUND, FLYING FISH and WESTWARD HO. The George Upton-led company, partnering with John and Robert Forbes and others, led the sailing trades to California, India and the Far East.
