SWANN GALLERIES
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Early 19th century ship’s log reveals artistic wonder as it comes up for auction at Swann Galleries An early 19th century ship’s log book transformed into an extraordinary artistic endeavour by its author will appear for sale at Swann Auction Galleries in New York on June 7. The Astraea, a Royal Navy Apollo-class frigate launched in 1810 that served during the Napoleonic Wars, spent seven years ‘in ordinary’ as a merchant vessel before conversion to a hospital ship in 1823. It was during this period that its captain, William Hodgson, undertook at least two voyages, recording their routine daily events under the titles Journal of a Voyage, from Bristol to the Mediterranean, Anno Domini 1819 and Log-Book Kept on board the Astraea On a Voyage from London to the Mediterranean, Anno-Domini 1821. Content-wise they summarise matter-of-fact information such as direction, speed, weather and crew chores. However,Hodgson turned them into something altogether more striking with a series of accomplished watercolour drawings of his own ships and others interspersed throughout the log to create a much more engaging and unique portrayal of the trading vessels’ voyages through the Mediterranean. Beautifully detailed in both calm and turbulent waters, the 35 fine watercolours The bound volume of two manuscript logs encloses 28 leaves of ink calligraphy recto and verso on wove paper watermarked “Y&M 1814” and approximately 50 blank leaves of the same paper, with a presentation inscription from Hodgson dated 1822. At sea, January-July 1819; March-April 1821 Live online bidding facilities are available to accept bids from anywhere in the world. The estimate is $3,000 to $5,000.
For further details contact Caleb Kiffer of Swann Auction Galleries at caleb@swanngalleries.com or on 001 212 254 4710 ext 17
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appear below records kept in a fine and decorative copperplate hand to complete an exceptional artistic presentation.
Swann Auction Galleries to offer Ernest Hemingway letter to Marlene Dietrich
A letter from Ernest Hemingway to Marlene Dietrich, in which he declares his love for her, will be one of the highlights at Swann Auction Galleries’ Autographs sale in New York on May 4.
Dated 12 August 1952 and signed “Love, Mister Papa”, Hemingway sent the letter from Finca Vigia, the Cuban home where he wrote much of ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’ and ‘The Old Man and the Sea’, and which was expropriated by the Castro government in 1960, later becoming a museum.
Hemingway and Dietrich had first met in 1934, each becoming infatuated with the other, but never consummating their love because, as Hemingway put it, they were “victims of unsynchronised passion”: each time one of them found themselves out of a relationship, the other was deeply involved with someone else.
The year before this letter, Dietrich had confessed to keeping Hemingway’s photograph by her bedside.
The bulk of the decades-long correspondence between the two is housed in the John F Kennedy library in Boston, but some letters retained by Dietrich’s grandchildren have made it onto the market in recent years.
This one comes with an estimate of $20,000 to $30,000.
Other highlights in the sale include three Autograph Manuscript drafts of a lecture Arthur Conan Doyle delivered in his 1894 North American Tour, estimated at $4,000 to $6,000, and a signed autograph draft of a statement outlining Conan Doyle’s conception of spiritualism, dating to c.1926, which is estimated at $3,500 to $5,000.
For further information, contact Marco Tomaschett at mtomaschett@swanngalleries.com
Picture captions
Ernest Hemingway, ALS to Marlene Dietrich, signed “Love / Mr. Papa,” Finca Vigia, 12 August 1952. At auction May 4, 2017. Estimate $20,000 to $30,000.
Arthur Conan Doyle, three Autograph Manuscript drafts of a lecture he delivered in his 1894 North American Tour, circa 1894. At auction May 4, 2017. Estimate $4,000 to $6,000.
Arthur Conan Doyle, Autograph Manuscript Signed, draft of a statement outlining his conception of spiritualism, London, circa 1926. At auction May 4, 2017. Estimate $3,500 to $5,000.
All images courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
