These records are found in the online catalog of The Mariners’ Museum and Park in Newport News, Virginia. Uncurated search results are presented to give researchers and interested readers an idea of whether the museum’s archives contain information about this vessel and whether it may be worthwhile to visit the museum’s catalog search page for further investigation. Uncurated results may be inaccurate or incomplete.
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1
1934-1939
INSCRIPTION: WHEN FRESHLY BLOWS THE NORTHERN GALES, THEN UNDER COURSES SAILING WE FLY (under image);
SCRIMSHAW, WHALING, SAILOR'S HANDIWORK, SPERM WHALE TOOTH, VERSE, CHARLES W. MORGAN, HAGUE COLLECTION, WHALER, WHALESHIP, POEM, LYRIC PROSE, SIR THOMAS MOORE,
SHORT DESCRIPTION: Sperm whale tooth engraved on obverse with starboard quarter view of unidentified whaling bark, considering the stern carving of an eagle it's probably the Charles W. Morgan. Verse reads "WHEN FRESHLY BLOWS THE NORTHERN GALES, THEN UNDER COURSES SAILING WE FLY;" Inked in black. Mate to IS533. Part of a set by artist Harry Neyland that includes pieces IS476-IS560. Made between 1934 and 1939. NOTES: IS477, IS479 and IS534 all appear to show the same vessel under sail. The ship depicted on IS479 is credited as Charles W. Morgan suggesting that all three of these teeth show the Morgan. NOTES: “When freshly blows the northern gales, Then under courses snug we fly; When light breezes swell the sails, Then royals proudly sweep the sky” is an excerpt of a nautical poem written by Sir Thomas Moore titled ‘The Steerman’s Song.’ The book ‘The Complete Poems of Sir Thomas Moore, Collected by Himself with Explanatory Notes’ indicates the poem was written on board the frigate Boston, on 28th April. Moore left England on September 25, 1803 and arrived in Bermuda in January 1804. He left Bermuda in mid-April 1804 on the frigate Boston, in company with the Cambrian and Leander, which was carrying Admiral Sir Andrew Mitchell, commander of the North American station. The three ships cruised together for a few days and then separated. The frigate Boston proceeded to New York after a short cruise. While this is technically not ancient weather lore or a nautical mnemonic device, it is a practical observation of how sailors adapt the ship’s canvas to wind strength and the contrast between heavy-weather and fine-weather sailing. The northern gale is a strong wind from the north that is often cold and brisk and associated with clearing or challenging weather. During heavy weather sailors reduce sail area by snugging or reefing the courses (the lowest and largest sails) which allows the ship to sail swiftly but remain manageable. In gentler winds, the sailors set every sail available, including the royals (the highest and smallest sails on the masts) to catch every bit of available breeze. Moore’s poem was first published in his 1806 volume ‘Epistles, Odes, and Other Poems.’ This snippet of Moore’s poem appears on page 210 of ‘The Kedge Anchor or Young Sailor’s Assistant’ by William Brady, which was first published in 1847. IS534 and IS533, are scrimshaw teeth decorated by Harry Neyland that illustrate the first four lines of the first stanza of Moore’s poem. NOTES: In 1941 the Museum received 85 pieces of scrimshaw (IS476-IS560) through bequest from the Robert Lyons Hague estate. Over the years, there has been discussion about the artist of the items. In 1989, Mariners’ Museum curator Richard Malley states in a letter that the artist of the pieces of scrimshaw with Neyland images (IS 476, IS489-493, IS 499 and IS 520) is unclear. During a visit on November 8, 1983 and again in 1996, Gary Eckstein, a collector of modern scrimshaw visited the museum to look at the collection of scrimshaw to identify possible pieces by artist William Perry. During his visits he attributed several teeth to Frank/Francisco Rapoza (IS 476-probably late Rapoza); IS483 Rapoza?; IS491-492-Rapoza; IS503-Rapoza?; IS505, 509, 511-514, 517-Rapoza). He mentioned during his visit that artist Harry Neyland had worked with Robert L. Hague to assemble his scrimshaw collection and that Mr. Hague had requested that a number of teeth be etched depicting life aboard a whaler, the men and their jobs. Commenting on some of the pieces he reviewed Eckstein stated they were “not by Rapoza nor William Perry. Probably a third person.” In an April 1, 1986, letter to Mr. Eckstein, Research Associate Lois Oglesby states that curator Richard Malley had deferred to Mr. Eckstein’s opinion on the attribution because modern scrimshaw was “out of the time period of his expertise.” Mr. Eckstein also sold a Rapoza signed tooth to the Museum in 1996 (1996.01.01). However, several letters from Harry Neyland to Fred Hill (dated July 20, 1939) and Homer L. Ferguson, president of the Museum (dated August 2, 1939), clarifies the issue of who created the scrimshaw in Mr. Hague’s collection. The July 20th letter states: “Cuthbert, brother of the late Robert L. Hague told me that you had seen the collection of scrimshaw I made for him which he willed to your museum. All told there are 22 more whale’s teeth some finished, others which are in various stages, which were ordered by Mr. Hague to complete the set. He was very anxious to have every whaling term illustrated in the set...The last time I saw Mr. Hague was the first of February when I delivered some of the finished work. I spent considerable of my own money buying the whales teeth also have spent many weeks work on them to date. Mr. Hague’s brother asked me if I wished to enter my claim against his brother’s estate so as to get my money for my labor and expenses for completing the set. I told him his brother had paid me for all I had delivered and I did not like to file a claim as possibly the museum, since they received such handsome bequests should prefer to assume the small amount to settle my claim. I can not afford to lose the pay for my time nor the money I have paid out to buy the whales teeth…I have been working over five years on this collection and am personally proud of it.” The August 2, 1939 letter to Mr. Ferguson states: “For nearly five years I have devoted as much time, as my eyes would permit, to making a collection of scrimshaw for Robert…I spent many hours with him planning this collection…The last time I saw Robert was the first week of February. I met him at his apartment, at six, we dined together and practically the whole evening until midnight was spent in planning the completion of the collection, illustrating every known term or phrase used in whaling…After the completion of the whaling series, Robert had commissioned me to illustrate the naval battles of the U.S., also for your museum…Cuthbert told me that your Mr. Hill had called to see his late brother’s collections, willed to your museum. He no doubt can inform you regarding the collection above mentioned, which when finished, will not only be the best collection of scrimshaw, but the only one of its kind in existence. Knowing that the collection was to be on permanent exhibit in a public museum I took great care to see that all details were correct from a nautical standpoint also that artistically they would be beyond criticism. I take a personal pride in the work and I am anxious to see it completed…I have spent many days work on this, for which I have received no remuneration [regarding the 22 unfinished teeth].” Unfortunately, Hill and Ferguson decided against assuming “the burden of paying for the [completion of the] twenty-two additional pieces ordered from you by Mr. Hague” but they agreed to work with Mr. Neyland on the restoration of some of the damaged pieces. It’s also important to note that according to his letters, Harry Neyland promised Mr. Hague, and may have been contractually restricted, not to make another set like the one Hague intended to present to the Museum. In the July 20 letter he states “I agreed not to make a set for any other individual or museum.” In the August 2 letter he states the collection is “the only one of its kind in existence” and “My hands are tied for I signed a written agreement for Robert promising not to make another whaling set for anyone, nor to duplicate any of the designs.”
INSCRIPTION: WHEN LIGHTER BREEZES SWELL THE SAILS THEN ROYALS PROUDLY SWEEP THE SKY (under image);
SCRIMSHAW, WHALING, SAILOR'S HANDIWORK, SPERM WHALE TOOTH, VERSE, HAGUE COLLECTION, WHALER, WHALESHIP, POEM, LYRIC PROSE, SIR THOMAS MOORE,
SHORT DESCRIPTION: Sperm whale tooth engraved with port bow view of unidentified American whaling bark under full sail, including royal sails (its mate shows the Charles W. Morgan). Title: "WHEN LIGHTER BREEZES SWELL THE SAILS, THEN ROYALS PROUDLY SWEEP THE SKY". Inked in black. Mate to IS534. Part of a set by artist Harry Neyland that includes pieces IS476-IS560. Made between 1934 and 1939. NOTES: “When freshly blows the northern gales, Then under courses snug we fly; When light breezes swell the sails, Then royals proudly sweep the sky” is an excerpt of a nautical poem written by Sir Thomas Moore titled ‘The Steerman’s Song.’ The book ‘The Complete Poems of Sir Thomas Moore, Collected by Himself with Explanatory Notes’ indicates the poem was written on board the frigate Boston, on 28th April. Moore left England on September 25, 1803 and arrived in Bermuda in January 1804. He left Bermuda in mid-April 1804 on the frigate Boston, in company with the Cambrian and Leander, which was carrying Admiral Sir Andrew Mitchell, commander of the North American station. The three ships cruised together for a few days and then separated. The frigate Boston proceeded to New York after a short cruise. While this is technically not ancient weather lore or a nautical mnemonic device, it is a practical observation of how sailors adapt the ship’s canvas to wind strength and the contrast between heavy-weather and fine-weather sailing. The northern gale is a strong wind from the north that is often cold and brisk and associated with clearing or challenging weather. During heavy weather sailors reduce sail area by snugging or reefing the courses (the lowest and largest sails) which allows the ship to sail swiftly but remain manageable. In gentler winds, the sailors set every sail available, including the royals (the highest and smallest sails on the masts) to catch every bit of available breeze. Moore’s poem was first published in his 1806 volume ‘Epistles, Odes, and Other Poems.’ This snippet of Moore’s poem appears on page 210 of ‘The Kedge Anchor or Young Sailor’s Assistant’ by William Brady, which was first published in 1847. IS534 and IS533, are scrimshaw teeth decorated by Harry Neyland that illustrate the first four lines of the first stanza of Moore’s poem. NOTES: In 1941 the Museum received 85 pieces of scrimshaw (IS476-IS560) through bequest from the Robert Lyons Hague estate. Over the years, there has been discussion about the artist of the items. In 1989, Mariners’ Museum curator Richard Malley states in a letter that the artist of the pieces of scrimshaw with Neyland images (IS 476, IS489-493, IS 499 and IS 520) is unclear. During a visit on November 8, 1983 and again in 1996, Gary Eckstein, a collector of modern scrimshaw visited the museum to look at the collection of scrimshaw to identify possible pieces by artist William Perry. During his visits he attributed several teeth to Frank/Francisco Rapoza (IS 476-probably late Rapoza); IS483 Rapoza?; IS491-492-Rapoza; IS503-Rapoza?; IS505, 509, 511-514, 517-Rapoza). He mentioned during his visit that artist Harry Neyland had worked with Robert L. Hague to assemble his scrimshaw collection and that Mr. Hague had requested that a number of teeth be etched depicting life aboard a whaler, the men and their jobs. Commenting on some of the pieces he reviewed Eckstein stated they were “not by Rapoza nor William Perry. Probably a third person.” In an April 1, 1986, letter to Mr. Eckstein, Research Associate Lois Oglesby states that curator Richard Malley had deferred to Mr. Eckstein’s opinion on the attribution because modern scrimshaw was “out of the time period of his expertise.” Mr. Eckstein also sold a Rapoza signed tooth to the Museum in 1996 (1996.01.01). However, several letters from Harry Neyland to Fred Hill (dated July 20, 1939) and Homer L. Ferguson, president of the Museum (dated August 2, 1939), clarifies the issue of who created the scrimshaw in Mr. Hague’s collection. The July 20th letter states: “Cuthbert, brother of the late Robert L. Hague told me that you had seen the collection of scrimshaw I made for him which he willed to your museum. All told there are 22 more whale’s teeth some finished, others which are in various stages, which were ordered by Mr. Hague to complete the set. He was very anxious to have every whaling term illustrated in the set...The last time I saw Mr. Hague was the first of February when I delivered some of the finished work. I spent considerable of my own money buying the whales teeth also have spent many weeks work on them to date. Mr. Hague’s brother asked me if I wished to enter my claim against his brother’s estate so as to get my money for my labor and expenses for completing the set. I told him his brother had paid me for all I had delivered and I did not like to file a claim as possibly the museum, since they received such handsome bequests should prefer to assume the small amount to settle my claim. I can not afford to lose the pay for my time nor the money I have paid out to buy the whales teeth…I have been working over five years on this collection and am personally proud of it.” The August 2, 1939 letter to Mr. Ferguson states: “For nearly five years I have devoted as much time, as my eyes would permit, to making a collection of scrimshaw for Robert…I spent many hours with him planning this collection…The last time I saw Robert was the first week of February. I met him at his apartment, at six, we dined together and practically the whole evening until midnight was spent in planning the completion of the collection, illustrating every known term or phrase used in whaling…After the completion of the whaling series, Robert had commissioned me to illustrate the naval battles of the U.S., also for your museum…Cuthbert told me that your Mr. Hill had called to see his late brother’s collections, willed to your museum. He no doubt can inform you regarding the collection above mentioned, which when finished, will not only be the best collection of scrimshaw, but the only one of its kind in existence. Knowing that the collection was to be on permanent exhibit in a public museum I took great care to see that all details were correct from a nautical standpoint also that artistically they would be beyond criticism. I take a personal pride in the work and I am anxious to see it completed…I have spent many days work on this, for which I have received no remuneration [regarding the 22 unfinished teeth].” Unfortunately, Hill and Ferguson decided against assuming “the burden of paying for the [completion of the] twenty-two additional pieces ordered from you by Mr. Hague” but they agreed to work with Mr. Neyland on the restoration of some of the damaged pieces. It’s also important to note that according to his letters, Harry Neyland promised Mr. Hague, and may have been contractually restricted, not to make another set like the one Hague intended to present to the Museum. In the July 20 letter he states “I agreed not to make a set for any other individual or museum.” In the August 2 letter he states the collection is “the only one of its kind in existence” and “My hands are tied for I signed a written agreement for Robert promising not to make another whaling set for anyone, nor to duplicate any of the designs.”
