Miles Walters (1773-1849) and Son, Samuel Walters (1811 -1882)
Oil on canvas, of the American ship "Monongahela" on route to Liverpool, shown in three positions, signed lower right "Walters and Son" and dated "1829". The "Monongahela" is shown off Egremont. The central view of the ship is a port broadside with the ship house flags flying from the mast heads and the American flag off the gaff. The other views of the ship repeat the same flags. The sides of the hull have a decorative broad bronze colored wale and narrow stripes above. This was a common paint pattern used by American ship's going to Liverpool in the late 1820’s and 1830’s. The bow shows a standing white painted figurehead followed by trailboards. Above the trailboards, the name "MONONGAHELA" appear in gold. There are several figures on board including some woimen. The view on the right shows the second view of the ship coming towards the viewer under full sail. To the left we see the third view showing the Monongahela from a stern view with shortened sails and with her stern board clearly visible. The 509 ton “Monongahela” was owed by Thomas P. Kope. In addition to a New York to Liverpool service, Kope established a regular route from Philadelphia and Liverpool, with four ships maintaining a monthly service. (PA1081)
Provenance: Vose Gallery Boston
George Lewis
Condition of Painting: There is scattered small dots of in-paint in the sky and there is in-paint on several of the sails on the vessel on the right. There are two small punctures in the water below the central vessel and along water in bottom right.
Condition of Frame: The frame was made circa 1950 and has a gold finish with a linen liner.
Dimensions of Painting: Height 27 7/8, Width 44 3/4inches.
Dimensions of Frame: Height 33 1/8; Width 51 3/4 inches.
Reference 1: Finamore, Daniel, “Across the Western Ocean: American Ships by Liverpool Artists”, published by the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA, 1995. This book was used as a catalogue for an exhibition titled the same name as this book, The exhibit was a traveling exhibition which began at the Peabody Essex Salem, MA, and traveled to the South Street Seaport Museum in New York and then onto the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia, PA. This painting of the ship “Monongahela” is illustrated and described on page 43 of this book. It was lent to the exhibit by George Lewis of Sherborn, MA who at the time served on the Board of Advisors for the Peabody Essex.
Reference 2: Davidson, A.S., “Samuel Walters – Marine Artist: Fifty Years of Sea, Sail, & Steam”, Jones–Sands Publishing, 1992. This painting is described and illustrated on page 59.
Auction Records:
8/10/2023 Eldred's Auction "American Packet Champlain bound for Liverpool" Sold: $22,680.
8/20/2021 Eldred's Auction "Britannia in the Hudson Bay" Sold: $28,000.
8/13/2021 Eldred's Auction "Ship Sheffield in Liverpool" Sold: $18,750.
8/13.2020 Eldred's Auction "Ship Daniel Webster on Route to Liverpool" Sold: $33,750.
Price $30,000.
