Framed Photograph of Schooner "George W. Wells" with cut autograph 'Compliments Geo. W. Wells' and brass nameplate
9 1/4" x 7" photograph with burlap mat in somewhat worn 16 1/4" x 14" frame, with 4" x 1 1/2" cut "Compliments of Geo W. Wells" with 3 1/2" x 1 1/4" brass plate "The George W. Wells/Launched Aug. 14, 1900/Length 303 Ft. Tonnage 5000 Tons/First Six Masted Schooner. Lost Off Cape Hatteras. Sept. 4, 1913". Stated on the verso - "This picture to go to/Turner Wells when I/am through with it/C.M. Wells/Wianno Sep 8 32/OK A.T. Wells Sept. 8 32/Model of George W. Wells made by/J. Walter Evans/Belleville Ontario April 1932/from photograph pf the painting /owned by A.T.W." penciled to verso. Tipped to the verso are two newspaper clippings 1) announcing the date for the "George W. Wells" launch on August 14, 1900 and 2) the October 8, 1943 passing of John J. Wardwell, designer and builder of the "George W. Wells." An envelope inserted on the verso contains an August 19, 1945 Herald Tribune article "Hurricane on Hatteras Bared Hulks of Ships Lost Long Ago" (including the 'skeleton of the George W. Wells, first six-masted schooner and until her end the largest sailing ship afloat'). Item #22574
Launched in front of over 10,000 people on August 4, 1900, the schooner "George W. Wells" was the first of its kind — a six-masted schooner and one of the largest wooden sailing ships ever built. It was named for George Washington Wells, one of the owners and from 1891 to 1908 was President of the American Optical Company in Southbridge, Massachusetts.
Price: $400.00