Merchant Ship Collection

Lighthouse warning a clipper ship of dangerous shores
Sailing ship passing a lighthouse marking the way to home port, 1800s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

South Street docks in New York City, 1870s
Merchant ships unloading along South Street, New York City, 1870s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Brooklyn Bridge when newly opened, 1883
Brooklyn Bridge over the East River, looking toward Manhattan, 1883. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

White men bringing cleanliness to native cultures, 1890s
" White mans burden" is to teach cleanliness, described in a Pears Soap ad, 1890s. Hand-colored halftone reproduction of a 19th-century illustration

French frigate, 1700s
Armed French frigate of the 18th century. Hand-colored woodcut of an illustration

New York harbor, 1850s
New York City, viewed from Brooklyn, 1850s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

The 76 ton schooner Lisette under sail. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 76 ton schooner Lisette under sail. Lisette was built at Cowes in 1873

Spanish pirates attacking English merchantmen
Spanish ships capturing English ships with supplies for the colonies. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Steering a sailing-ship through stormy seas
Sailors at the wheel of a merchant ship in a gale, 1800s. Hand-colored engraving of a 19th-century illustration

Lake Erie grain boat in a snowstorm
Steamship carrying grain on Lake Erie in a snowstorm, headed for Buffalo, New York, 1880s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Wall Streets Tontine Coffee House in the late 1700s
Tontine Coffee House, corner of Water and Wall Street, meeting-place of New York brokers who formed the NY Stock Exchange. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Merchant ship attacked by Chinese pirates
Chinese pirates attacking a European merchant ship, 1800s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Erie Canal boats at their New York City dock
Erie Canal boats anchored on the Hudson River, New York City, 1850s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

1st century Roman corbita, side view
Technology, Transportation, Ships, Boats, Sailing Ships, Ancient Roman, Corbita, Merchant Ship, Ancient History, Empire, Fleets, Merchant Ships, Naval Vessels, Romans, Rowing, Sails, Seafaring

Billowing smoke marks the end of the ammunition ship Mary Luckenbach, seen from the deck of the carrier HMS Avenger, during convoy PQ 18 to Russia. 13th September 1942

The 135 ft barque sailing ship Modwena, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 135 ft barque sailing ship Modwena, 1913. Modwena was built in 1908 by John Reid in Glasgow. In 1912 she was bought by the sewing machine magnate Mortimer Singer to use as a private yacht

Roman Merchant-ship being loaded with grain, from a wall painting in Ostia, 2nd-3rd century. Note the rudder. Vatican Museums

View of Rangoon, c1891. Creator: James Grant
View of Rangoon, c1891. From " Cassells Illustrated History of India Vol. I.", by James Grant. [Cassell Petter & Galpin, London, Paris and New York]

Midshipman Reginald Himbury assisting the gunners of the Clan McTavish in the fight with the German raider Moewe
976438 Midshipman Reginald Himbury assisting the gunners of the Clan McTavish in the fight with the German raider Moewe, 16 January 1916 (colour litho) by Stewart

Destruction of a British merchant steamer by a German U-boat, World War I, 1915 (colour litho)
822596 Destruction of a British merchant steamer by a German U-boat, World War I, 1915 (colour litho) by Stower, Willy (1864-1931); Private Collection; Look and Learn / Elgar Collection

A merchant ship of the Hanseatic League (engraving)
3647300 A merchant ship of the Hanseatic League (engraving) by German School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A merchant ship of the Hanseatic League)

View of Canton in China, c. 1662-3 (oil on canvas)
3545854 View of Canton in China, c. 1662-3 (oil on canvas) by Vinckeboons, Johannes (1576-1632) (attr. to); 97x140 cm; Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

View Taken on the Esplanade, Calcutta, plate I from Oriental Scenery
STC195041 View Taken on the Esplanade, Calcutta, plate I from Oriental Scenery, published 1797 (coloured aquatint) by Daniell

Empress of Britain, British ocean liner torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-32, World War II, October 1940 (photo)
6015187 Empress of Britain, British ocean liner torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-32, World War II, October 1940 (photo) by English Photographer

A sailors tribute to Samuel Plimsoll (1824-1898), an English politician
5309062 A sailors tribute to Samuel Plimsoll (1824-1898), an English politician and social reformer, for the work he did whilst MP for Derby in bringing in legislation regulating the loading

The Loss of an East Indiaman, c. 1818 (w / c on paper)
CEC128174 The Loss of an East Indiaman, c.1818 (w/c on paper) by Turner, Joseph Mallord William (1775-1851); 28x39.5 cm; The Higgins Art Gallery & Museum, Bedford

The work of the underwater pirate (colour litho)
3622171 The work of the underwater pirate (colour litho) by Lacy, Charles John de (c.1860-1936) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: The work of the underwater pirate)

Ships (coloured engraving)
997469 Ships (coloured engraving) by German School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: From A Bilderbuch fAor KinderA (Picture Book for Children) 1790-1830

View of Cannanore on the Malabar Coast in India, c. 1662-3 (oil on canvas)
3545852 View of Cannanore on the Malabar Coast in India, c.1662-3 (oil on canvas) by Vinckeboons, Johannes (1576-1632) (attr)

The Spanish-American War: capture of a merchant ship (colour litho)
2818880 The Spanish-American War: capture of a merchant ship (colour litho) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Spanish-American War: capture of a merchant ship)

British ships painted with dazzle camouflage to mislead the enemy during World War I, 1914-1918 (b / w photo)
6015392 British ships painted with dazzle camouflage to mislead the enemy during World War I, 1914-1918 (b/w photo) by English Photographer

Sinking of the British merchant ship Linda Blanche by German submarine U-21 off Liverpool, World War I
5229565 Sinking of the British merchant ship Linda Blanche by German submarine U-21 off Liverpool, World War I, 30 January 1915 (litho) by Stoewer (Stower) Willy (1864-1931) (after)

The Recent Naval Manoeuvres (engraving)
1046024 The Recent Naval Manoeuvres (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Recent Naval Manoeuvres)

View towards Murano from the Fondamente Nuove, Venice (oil on canvas)
FIT437696 View towards Murano from the Fondamente Nuove, Venice (oil on canvas) by Guardi, Francesco (1712-93); 31.7x52.7 cm; Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge

Two British RAF Short Sunderland flying boats rescuing the crew of the merchant ship Kensington Court
6014673 Two British RAF Short Sunderland flying boats rescuing the crew of the merchant ship Kensington Court, torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-32, World War II

Multi-cargo merchant ship the Hoegh Duke receives its bridge whilst under construction at Swan Hunters Wallsend yard. 12th September, 1983

View of an Italian Port, early 1660s. Creator: Nicolaes Berchem
View of an Italian Port, early 1660s

Naues MercatoriaeHollan dicaeper Indias Occidentales (Dutch West Indiaman)
Naues Mercatoriae Hollan [] dicae per Indias Occidentales (Dutch West Indiaman), 1625-77

Germanys Submarine Policy, (1919). Creator: Unknown
Germanys Submarine Policy, (1919). Scene from the First World War, 1914-1919: The inhuman practice adopted by Germany of sinking without warning merchant ships of friend or foe

View of Cochin on the Malabar Coast of India, c. 1662-3 (oil on canvas)
1765847 View of Cochin on the Malabar Coast of India, c.1662-3 (oil on canvas) by Vinckeboons, Johannes (1576-1632) (attr)

The 135 ft barque sailing ship Modwena, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 135 ft barque sailing ship Modwena, 1911. Modwena was built in 1908 by John Reid in Glasgow. In 1912 she was bought by the sewing machine magnate Mortimer Singer to use as a private yacht

The Joseph Cunard, 1839, (1938). Artist: Samuel Walters
The Joseph Cunard, 1839, (1938). The Joseph Cunard, a barque of 680 tons, built probably about 1830. She traded between Liverpool and New Orleans

Three Funnels of the Monarch of Bermuda, the Furness Withy luxury liner, 1937
The Three Funnels of the Monarch of Bermuda, the Furness Withy luxury liner, are black, with one narrow and one wide band of deep red, 1937. From Shipping Wonders of the World, Vol

All Electric from Stem to Stern - The Monarch of Bermuda, 1937. From Shipping Wonders of the World, Vol. II, edited by Clarence Winchester. [The Fleetway House, London]

Merchant Ship Types. No. 19 - A River Amazon Trade Cargo-Passenger Ship, 1937. From Shipping Wonders of the World, Vol. II, edited by Clarence Winchester. [The Fleetway House, London]

Engagement Between Two Merchant Ships Off The Coast of Iceland, 1555. From Old Ship Prints by E. Keble Chatterton. [John Lane The Bodley Head Limited, London & New York, 1927]

Merchant ships in the Royal Albert Dock, London, 1926-1927. Illustration from Wonderful London, edited by Arthur St John Adcock, Volume I, published by Amalgamated Press, (London, 1926-1927)

An Armed Merchant Ship Capture, c1813. Artist: William John Huggins
An Armed Merchant Ship Capture, c1813, (1924). On 30 April 1812, after a three day chase, the American armed merchant ship Gipsy was captured by the British Navy. From Old Naval Prints, by Charles N

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"Journey of the Merchant Ship: A Tale of Perilous Seas and Historic Ports" Guided by a vigilant lighthouse, a majestic clipper ship sails cautiously, heeding the warning signals that guard against treacherous shores. Amidst the bustling South Street docks in New York City during the 1870s, a merchant ship prepares to embark on an adventurous voyage across distant horizons. The newly opened Brooklyn Bridge stands tall as a symbol of progress and connectivity, witnessing the passage of countless merchant ships venturing into new territories in 1883. With its sails billowing in the wind, the elegant 76 ton schooner Lisette gracefully glides through open waters under the craftsmanship of Kirk & Sons of Cowes. In an era plagued by Spanish pirates seeking fortune at sea, English merchantmen valiantly defend their precious cargo against ruthless attacks on unforgiving waves. Navigating stormy seas requires skillful hands at helm; brave sailors steer their sailing-ship amidst tempestuous weather conditions with unwavering determination. Battling fierce snowstorms on Lake Erie, a resilient grain boat braves icy winds to transport vital sustenance across perilous waters to awaiting ports. Transporting tales from centuries past, an awe-inspiring French frigate evokes memories of naval dominance during the illustrious 1700s when merchant ships sailed under grandeur flags. Amidst Wall Street's Tontine Coffee House in late 1700s New York City, merchants gather to discuss trade routes and negotiate deals that shape global commerce aboard mighty vessels. Facing unexpected perils along uncharted waters, a courageous merchant ship finds itself under attack by Chinese pirates who seek riches amidst turbulent tides. At their New York City dock along Erie Canal's banks, sturdy canal boats unload bountiful cargoes, connecting the heartland's harvest to bustling urban markets.