GUN SPRING 2018
The live portion of this session begins on Wednesday, March 21, 2018.
SPECTACULAR SET OF REPOUSSÉ AND ENGRAVED STERLING SILVER "TROPHIES" CONCERNING THE HEROIC ACTIONS OF TWO SAILORS INVOLVED IN THE SAVING OF THE STEAMSHIP SAN FRANCISCO, DECEMBER 24, 1853.When the steamer San Francisco was built, she was the most modern and fastest ship of its day, 276 feet long, more than 2000 horsepower, classified "A-1" side-wheel steamer with three decks at a cost of $350,000. For a ship of her day, she was fitted out in an unusually luxurious manner. She could transport almost 1000 passengers, and 2500 tons on any given trip. On her last fateful cruise and maiden voyage, she left New York bound for San Francisco December 22, 1853 with over 800 souls aboard. About midnight on December 24th, about 200 miles East of Charleston, a violent Nor'easter sprung up. The engine stopped and during the night, cabin passengers gathered together praying for their preservation of the impending danger. About 8am the following morning, she was struck by even more violent seas, carrying the entire main saloon, paddle boxes and smokestacks overboard along with many passengers. The hurricane deck broke in half and fell upon the cabin floor. Lt. Francis Key Murray of the US Navy who happened to be a passenger had stayed on deck throughout these events. He assisted Captain Watkins in saving the vessel and comforted and reassured passengers that they would indeed be saved. Lt. Murray was presented with a monumental nautical theme compote by the citizens of Philadelphia made by the renowned Philadelphia silversmiths Robert and William Wilson. Murray was also awarded a magnificent Tiffany ewer by the citizens of New York. The first ship to find the floundering San Francisco was the British ship Three Bells of Glasgow on December 27th, Captain Robert Creighton of the Three Bells picked up as many survivors as he could to his vessel stating as he left "Be of good cheer, we will stand by you". Two other vessels would also pick up survivors, though 300 persons still perished. Captain Creighton would be given a congressional life saving medal and also a fabulous naval themed ewer by the citizens of New York made by Ball, Black & Company. The three magnificent sterling awards are being sold here as one lot.
1) 19-1/2" elaborate ewer, weighing 75 troy ounces, with raised relief central vignettes on either side of the floundering side-wheeler San Francisco being rescued by Three Bells and on the opposite side a full vignette of San Francisco in her glory before the storm. The handle is topped with an American eagle holding cannon in either talon above patriotic American shield, terminating in base of Neptune's face in full relief with a fluted anchor attached above his head. Oak leaf and acorns, sea shells form frames around the vignettes and the presentation which reads "PRESENTED / TO / CAPTAIN CREIGHTON / OF THE / BRITISH SHIP THREE BELLS OF GLASGOW / BY THE / MERCHANTS & CITIZENS OF NEW YORK / AS A TESTIMONIAL OF THE HIGH SENSE / WHICH THEY ENTERTAIN OF HIS HUMANE / GENEROUS & HEROIC CONDUCT IN RESCUING / PASSENGERS, OFFICERS & CREW OF THE / STEAMSHIP SAN FRANCISCO / IN THEIR PERILOUS EXPOSURE ON THE / OCEAN AFTER THE DESTRUCTIVE GALE OF THE / 24TH DECEMBER 1853". Accompanying this sterling presentation ewer is the 2014 biography of Captain Creighton Faithful of Days: The story of Robert Crighton, Master Mariner. This 236 pg book tells mostly of the 1853 San Francisco disaster and Captain Creighton's courage by staying with the San Francisco for six days with his storm battered and leaking Three Bells. Captain Creighton maintained he merely did "my simple duty". Walt Whitman in the classic 1855 book of poems Leaves of Grass commemorated how Creighton saw "death chasing [the San Francisco] up and down the storm".
2) Spectacular Tiffany 17-1/2" ewer, weighing about 74 troy ounces, shows renditions and large vignettes on either side of the floundering San Francisco and other naval motifs including flags, anchors all sitting atop three raised relief sea nymphs blowing horns. The handle is a massive rope attached to a fluted anchor, a large American eagle sits over the presentation which reads "PRESENTED TO / LIEUT. FRANCIS K. MURRAY / BY THE MERCHANTS AND CITIZENS OF NEW YORK AS / A TESTIMONIAL OF THEIR APPRECIATION OF HIS HUMANE AND / GALLANT CONDUCT IN ASSISTING TO RESCUE THE PASS / -ENGERS OF THE STEAMSHIP "SAN FRANCISCO", AFTER THE / TERRIFIC GALE OF THE 24TH DECEMBER / 1853."
3) A large maritime themed lidded compote by Richard & William Wilson, weighing about 130 troy ounces, 14-1/2" t x 18" across at handles which are full relief mermaids holding scallop shells, the lid is a large conch shell. The body in repousse relief shows the sea with the floundering San Francisco and a rescuing sailing ship. The opposite side has a presentation surrounded by a panoply of flags and arms: "A TESTIMONIAL / FROM CITIZENS OF PHILADELPHIA, / OF THEIR SENSE / OF THE SERVICE RENDERED DECEMBER 24TH 1853 / BY LIEUTENANT FRANCIS K. MURRAY U.S. NAVY. / ONE OF THE WRECKED / IN THE STEAMER SAN FRANCISCO. / WHO BECAME / BY HIS PROFESSIONAL SKILL AND PERSONAL INTREPIDITY / AND ACTION, GALLANT AND EFFICIENT RESCUER." Francis Key Murray (1820-1868) is buried at Grace Episcopal Church, Elkridge, Maryland. Lt. Murray's heroism is recounted in a 1954 Marine Historical Association, Mystic, Connecticut 79 pg publication which is mostly a narrative of a survivor Miss Lucia Eaton, where the manuscript is in the vault of the Library at Mystic Seaport.
This is a remarkable collection of three massive solid silver trophies given to two heroes who helped save over 500 survivors of the ill fated San Francisco which was as big a news in 1853 as the Titanic was in 1912. SIZE: PROVENANCE: Ball & Black Ewer, Sotheby's, Lot 70, January 20, 1998; The Murray Presentation Ewer and Compote, direct descent of Murray family, Charles Whittaker Auctions, Philadelphia, 1992; The spectacular collections of Ray Bentley featuring the finest and rarest deluxe antique Winchesters in the world. CONDITION: Very good to fine overall. The Tiffany ewer has a 1" crease across the raised relief sailing vessel in one vignette. 53091-231 JS (20,000-30,000)