Oil on canvas paining of the American Clipper Ship "Herald of the Morning" signed and dated 'W. Yorke L'Pool / 1870'.
Information William Gay Yorke (1817-1892)
Oil on canvas of the American Clipper Ship Herald of The Morning signed and dated 'W. Yorke L'Pool / 1870' (lower left)
. The present work depicts the vessel "Herald of The Morning" inbound to the port of Liverpool, England passing what appears to be Carmel Head on the Northwest tip of the Isle of Anglesey just off the Northwest coast of Wales. This vessel was one of the best examples of the extremely fast flat floored models designed by Samuel Harte Pook in the mid 1800's. She was Built by Hayden & Cudworth in Medford, Massachusetts beginning in 1853 and was launched the following year in January 1854. She was owned by Thatcher Magoun & Sons of Boston, Massachusetts whose house flag is depicted on the mainmast. "Herald of The Morning" sailed under the command of Captain Otis Baker, Jr. and was in service as part of the California trade. She rounded Cape Horn near the southernmost point of South America approximately 34 times in her 25 year sailing career. She is one of only 16 vessels to make the westbound passage rounding Cape Horn in less than 100 days, recording 99 days in 1855 when she sailed from New York City to San Francisco. She was nearly lost in 1859 after striking a large sperm whale head on destroying seven feet of her bow, necessitating the jettisoning of part of her cargo to prevent her from sinking. Yorke depicts "Herald of The Morning" in all her glory, celebrating her prowess and reign over the high seas. Visible in the distance to the right, the American bark "Amazon" can be identified by its mizzen signal flags and numerical code 289. To the far left and barely distinguishable in the distance is a cross channel sidewheel steamer. (PA1045)
Note: History of T. Magoun & Son
Thatcher Magoun and Sons was a highly successful mercantile firm operating out of Boston, Mass, and actively trading in ports throughout the world for much of the nineteenth century. Born in 1775, the company’s founder, Thatcher Magoun began his career as a shipbuilding in Medford, Massachusetts. Retaining partial interest in the vessels he built, Magoun quickly accumulated a large estate. In 1838, Magoun firmly established himself in his role as merchant by opening the company of Thatcher Magoun & Sons in Boston. With the assistance of his son, Thatcher Magoun, Jr. and eventually Thatcher Magoun III, the company continued in maritime trade until the late 1870s.
Magoun’s ships were noted for their speed and dependability. The most noteworthy of these include the ARCHIMEDES, DEUCALION, ELECTRIC SPARK, GREENWICH, HERALD OF THE MORNING, MANLIUS, MEDFORD, PHARSALIA, SWALLOW, TALMA, THATCHER MAGOUN, TIMOLEON, and WITCHCRAFT.
Trade routes of the company mirror those of a typical New England merchant. Routes in the 1840-1860 running between Boston and New York to New Orleans and the Caribbean and from there to European ports such as Liverpool, Cronstadt or Marseilles before returning home. Cargos typically included cotton, sugar, molasses, hemp and Spanish specie.
After the 1850’s Magoun’s ships began working in the New York to San Francisco trade routes, as profits from the California gold rush enticed many merchants. The Witchcraft and the Thatcher Magoun both held records for completing the voyage from New York to San Francisco. Often times vessels would include an oriental port in their voyage in order to load popular in the China Trade goods.
After the height of the gold rush trade continued to center on the route between east and west coast but now often included a stop in foreign ports in China and England. Magoun continued to operate vessels into the declining years of the sailing merchant fleets at which time the typical cargos include coal, guano, and flour.
Dimensions of Painting: Height 29 5/8, Width 42 1/8in, Inches
Dimensions of Frame: Height 35 1/2m Width 48 1/2
1870
