Bonhams 1793 : An important American builders' moddel of the S.S. Peru circa 1892 89 X 36 in.

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25 Jan 2013 13:00 EST New York
Important Maritime Paintings & Decorative Arts
Back to auction 20482

An important American builders' moddel of the S.S. Peru
Union Iron Works, San Francisco; circa 1892

the hull, built up in lifts in ¼ in.=1 ft. scale, with a pink painted bottom and black topsides fitted with portholes, double sheer strakes, the deck of maple veneer and detailed with India ink drawn planking and fitted with anchors, anchor davit, bollards, bell, painted ventilators, companion way, deck hatches, deck railings, twin raked masts with standing and running rigging, deck houses detailed with India ink drawn windows, paneling and doors; a single black funnel, running lights, bridge binnacle and fire buckets, (10) painted boats rigged on davits, and other details. Displayed on keel blocks within a builders' model of a hydraulic dry dock which is detailed with adjustable bilge blocks with block and tackle, dock stanchions, catwalk, dock posts, painted water, builders' plaques and other details. All within the original mahogany framed glass case with skirt and legs.
89 X 36 in.

Sold for US$ 50,000 inc. premium

Footnotes

The S.S. Peru was an American steel hulled passenger-freighter built at the Union Iron Works in San Francisco, and launched in 1892 for the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. She had principal dimensions of LOA: 336 ft, Beam: 46 ft., Draft: 27 ft. and weighed 3,528 gross tons. She ran on triple expansion engines which gave her a top speed of 14 knots. The S.S. Peru served the Pacific Mail Steamship Company from 1892-1915, and was then sold to the Grace Line where she served for less than a year before being sold to Cie. des Vapeurs Francais, Paris. As the S.S. Lux she served from 1915-1920 on the run between Marseille and Oran with general cargo. She foundered on this route after 3 March 1920 with the loss of 122 lives.

Peter and James Donahue, Irish immigrants, founded Union Iron Works in the south of Market area of San Francisco in 1849.
In 1885, the Union Iron Works launched the first steel hulled ship on the west coast, the Arago. In 1886, Union Iron Works was awarded a $1,000,000 contract to build a Naval cruiser, the USS Charleston, her half hull is also offered in this sale. From 1884 to 1902, they built seventy-five marine vessels, including the Olympia, Commodore Dewey's flagship during the Spanish-American war.

Category: Collectibles / Maritime

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