CIRCA 1785-1803

Details

A RARE AND IMPORTANT SHIPPING BOWL FOR THE AMERICAN MARKET
CIRCA 1785-1803
A special order commemorating Commodore John Barry of Philadelphia and his command of the Alliance at the time of her victory in the final naval battle of the American War of Independence; decorated front and back with carefully rendered depictions of the Alliance, the interior with a third depiction beneath the inscription "John Barry Esq/Commander/Alliance"
15 ¾ in. (40 cm.) diameter

Provenance

Commodore John Barry (25 March 1745 - 13 September 1803).
Patrick Hayes (his sister's son, left in his care at her death).
P. Barry Hayes, son of Patrick.
Elizabeth Barry Hayes, daughter of P. Barry.
Barry Hayes Hepburn and Earle Hepburn, her trustees.
Sold American Art Association-Anderson Galleries, Inc, New York, 21 January 1939.

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Lot Essay

Considered "The Father of the American Navy", John Barry was first made a captain of the Continental Army on March 14th 1776, where he commanded the Lexington, Effingham, Raleigh and Delaware before taking command of the Alliance. His prowess at the helm was much lauded, and allegedly the British offered Barry £100,000 to desert the American Navy and join the British forces, to Barry's great offense. After the Alliance's successful victory against the Sybylle on March 10th 1783, Barry captained a number of merchant ships, helping to open commerce between the United States and China. Nearly ten years after Barry's great victory Washington revived the Navy permanently, and Barry rejoined the forces. He was appointed first on the list of captains in 1794 and given command of the USS United States, a 44 gun frigate, in 1897 along with the title of Commodore.

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