Charles Miller Auction

[anteros_lmc]

Charles Miller's spring auction is coming up next Wednesday and, as usual, there are some real gems including this...


This is a page from a sketch book kept by Pownoll Fleetwood Pellew while he was a cadet at the Naval College at Portsmouth, in 1836. Pownoll Fleetwood Pellew was the third son of Pownoll Pellew by his second wife, Georgina Janet Dick, and the grandson of your favourite admiral and mine, Sir Edward Pellew.

There are some more pictures from Pownoll's sketch book below the cut along with some other highly covetable lots.

Cadet Pownoll Fleetwood Pellew's sketchbook
Cadet Pownoll Fleetwood Pellew's sketchbook
Private journal of Frederick Hodge kept between 1882 - 1883	A French marine album, written in French and mostly containing short naval stories illustrated with sketches and watercolours, the final section entitled English Remembrances.
Rare 15 star American naval Jack from the War of 1812, with a portrait of Lieutenant Thomas Brown. Brown served as a midshipman aboard the Philadelphia with Stephen Decatur and distinguished himself with Decatur when they burnt their ship rather than lose it to enemy action. When Decatur was killed in 1804, Brown acted Second in Command of the squadron. Estimate: £18000-£25000 (!)

Comments

[vespican.livejournal.com]

PFP seems to have had a bit of talent as an artist, at least in my opinion.

I believe info about Decatur is in error. I think his brother was killed in 1804, against the Barbary Pirates. Stephen later commanded USS United States (sister ship of Constitution) against HMS Macedonian in 1812, and at the end of the war surrendered USS President (third of the original 44 gun "super frigates" to British Forces. He also led the American squadron against the Barbary Pirates in 1815, and in a way set up things for Lord Exmouth's bombardment of Algiers.

Regarding USS Philadelphia... William Bainbridge was captain when it ran aground and was captured. Decatur commanded Intrepid which boarded, recaptured, and burnt the frigate to prevent it's use by the Barbary Pirates.
Dave

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

I believe info about Decatur is in error.
That's interesting, the text above is paraphrased from the auction catalogue and you're right, they've got it wrong! The catalogue seems to have conflated Stephen with his brother James, who was killed in 1804 commanding the attack craft of the Tripoli squadron.

This is actually the second error I've come across in the catalogue, there's a mistake in the entry about Pownoll Fleetwood Pellew too. He's described as "the third son of Pownoll Bastard, the 2nd Viscount of Exmouth", which is correct, and "the nephew of Admiral Sir Edward Pellew", which most certainly isn't!

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

So much easier to do research when you care about the people involved. They probably put someone on the job who did not know or care about any of these long ago people with similar names. Whereas-- to us, they are as real as anyone! (realer, in some cases!)

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Exactly! Though considering how much some of these pieces are selling for, you'd think they'd get their fact right!!!

[vespican.livejournal.com]

I may have noticed this because I've just finished reading Ships of Oak: Guns of Iron, which is a fairly comprehensive history of the War of 1812. Quite often it goes back to cover the individual history of participants of that conflict, including Decatur.

I find the US Navy jack interesting because of how the stars are placed, set at different orientations, rather than being rigidly aligned...possibly due to being hand made.
Dave

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

I had wondered if the position of the stars was significant! I'm afraid I'm a bit clueless when it comes to flags and ensigns. I am one of those ignoramuses who can not spot an upside down union flag :}

[vespican.livejournal.com]

I know that on modern US flags (and Navy jacks) the stars are arranged so that one point is up and two are down, sort of forming legs for the star, with the last two forming arms. The first naturally being the head. With the jack pictured, it may be that there was no up or down. As for the UK union flag, I doubt I could spot one that is upside down. I'm guessing it has something to do with the offset of St. Patrick's cross as it is superimposed over Saint Andrew's, but...
Dave

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

Oh that is amazing. Look at Pownell Fleetwood's sketchbook! In those days art was not considered a strange gift. it was just something you learned to do, to record things,and for fun. But he was really good.

I find that flag quite moving.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

art was not considered a strange gift. it was just something you learned to do, to record things
Very true, as far as I'm aware producing sketch books like this was a compulsory part of cadet training at the Portsmouth Naval College. It's really lovely isn't it? :)

I find that flag quite moving.
I'm not surprised! It's quite something isn't it? I wonder how much it will sell for? When they sold the Spartiate Trafalgar ensign, the estimated value was £10 - 15,000 but it went for £384,000 *faints*

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

*sigh* I know....if only money was no object....

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

Want!

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Me too :)

[vespican.livejournal.com]

Me too! Especially the battle scene at the top of the page.
Dave

[aletheiafelinea.livejournal.com]

Oh, these ships pictures are really good! I like also the silhouette portraits. Would be great to compare them to the real persons. Pellew had a fine eye, I think.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

The Pellew family actually produced a few moderately successful artists including Norman Pellew and John C Pellew, also wrote many books on painting and art.

[stevie-carroll.livejournal.com]

Pretty sketchbook pictures!

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Lovely aren't they? :)