The snow Hellen of Glasgow in two positions in the Clyde off Greenock, Scotland

A snow was a two-masted square-rigger, usually no larger than 1,000 tons, very similar to a conventional brig except that the mainsail was carried on a light, auxiliary "snow" mast immediately abaft the mizzen mast. Developed for its usefulness in simplifying sail handling, the gaff supported on this "snow" mast was often loose footed.

Although the painting offered in this catalogue shows the portside view of a vessel rather than its starboard aspect, it nevertheless has many similarities to Salmon's composition entitled "A snow off Greenock" of 1813 which is held in the collections of the Glasgow Museums & Art Galleries. That work is also illustrated in John Wilmerding's catalogue raisonnai entitled Robert Salmon, Painter of Ship & Shore, published by the Peabody Museum of Salem in 1971 (see page 16, no.7).