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Lot Essay
The inward bound ship Owen Potter, in two views, about to pick up the Liverpool pilot off the North West Lightship, Liverpool Bay. Shown centrally in port profile, the pilot jack is in the process of being hoisted to the fore masthead. In the port quarter view on the right of the painting it is now fully hoisted, and the ship is 'hove to' with pilot cutter number 12 (Perseverance) approaching. In both views the Marryat code hoist at the mizzen masthead (second distinguishing pendant, 6, 7, 9, 3) confirms the ship's identity. The North West lightship appears under the bowsprit on the left of the picture, with the distant Wirral coastline on the horizon.
Owen Potter 780 tons was built by Jonathan Fell at Workington, county of Cumberland (now Cumbria) in 1850, according to the Liverpool Customs and Excise Register for 1850, certificate number 183. Details of construction include a poop deck aft, a 'topgallant forecastle' and a full length male figurehead; all these features being depicted. A fairly large vessel for the period she had two decks and was well suited to the Far East trade, for which purpose she was purchased by POtter Brothers & Co. of Liverpool. Recorded dimensions were 145.8' length, 27.3' beam, and 21.3' depth of hold. Her original master was Robert Banks from Torquay, Devon, who owned eight of the 64 shares, and relinquished command to F. Nicholson in 1857. Vincent & Allan Potter trading as Potter Brothers owned 16 shares. Other liverpool merchant shareholders were: James Livesey 16, William Cannon 8, James Mark Wood 8, William and James Garnett, described as 'gentlemen' both of Clitheroe, Lancashire, 4 each.
Voyaging regularly to Calcutta, the ship went missing in 1857, although continuing to be listed in Lloyd's Register up to 1860, the Customs & Excise Register not being finally closed until 4 November 1865. There is an almost identical composition by the same artist, including the same pilot cutter, but in this case the background is Beaumaris Bay, Anglesey, N. Wales (private collection USA). Pilot Cutter 12, Perseverance was built by Thomas Royden of Liverpool in 1842 and served until 1860. Dimensions were 51.2' by 14.2', and 9.6' draft.
We are grateful to A.S. Davidson for assitance in cataloguing this lot.
Owen Potter 780 tons was built by Jonathan Fell at Workington, county of Cumberland (now Cumbria) in 1850, according to the Liverpool Customs and Excise Register for 1850, certificate number 183. Details of construction include a poop deck aft, a 'topgallant forecastle' and a full length male figurehead; all these features being depicted. A fairly large vessel for the period she had two decks and was well suited to the Far East trade, for which purpose she was purchased by POtter Brothers & Co. of Liverpool. Recorded dimensions were 145.8' length, 27.3' beam, and 21.3' depth of hold. Her original master was Robert Banks from Torquay, Devon, who owned eight of the 64 shares, and relinquished command to F. Nicholson in 1857. Vincent & Allan Potter trading as Potter Brothers owned 16 shares. Other liverpool merchant shareholders were: James Livesey 16, William Cannon 8, James Mark Wood 8, William and James Garnett, described as 'gentlemen' both of Clitheroe, Lancashire, 4 each.
Voyaging regularly to Calcutta, the ship went missing in 1857, although continuing to be listed in Lloyd's Register up to 1860, the Customs & Excise Register not being finally closed until 4 November 1865. There is an almost identical composition by the same artist, including the same pilot cutter, but in this case the background is Beaumaris Bay, Anglesey, N. Wales (private collection USA). Pilot Cutter 12, Perseverance was built by Thomas Royden of Liverpool in 1842 and served until 1860. Dimensions were 51.2' by 14.2', and 9.6' draft.
We are grateful to A.S. Davidson for assitance in cataloguing this lot.