Left: 27m motor
yacht Ra Marama,
now a brigantine
in Fiji, belowSaleroom
BONHAMS
Selling the sea
As we struggle to shake of the
throes of British winter, here’s an
image that’ll transport you to a
sun-drenched regatta in the south of
France. This classic resort
advertising poster by renowned
graphic artist Roger Broders
(1883-1953) is one of several
maritime-themed posters at
Bonhams’ Decorative Art & Design
sale in London on 12 April. It carries
an estimate of £2,500-3,500, but
works by lesser known artists are on
of er with estimates from £500.CHARLES MILLER LTD
Great Scott, a Discovery barograph
An Edwardian barograph bought as part of a job lot for a few
hundred pounds turned out to be worth over £6,000 once its part in
the history of Antarctic exploration was discovered by London
specialist maritime auction house Charles Miller Ltd.
Said Charles Miller: “It was acquired at a local saleroom near
Portsmouth from the estate of a collector of clocks, watches,
instruments and mechanical items and where the signifi cance of the
inscription of the maker’s plate had not been identifi ed.”
In fact, the provenance was hidden in plain view by the simple
abbreviated inscription: “ANT: EX: 1901.” You’ve guessed it – the
high-quality 1901 barograph by renowned London instrument maker
Short & Mason was carried on Captain Scott’s 1901-4 Antarctic
expedition aboard Discovery. At Charles Miller Ltd’s most recent
sale the historic barograph fetched £6,100.Charles Miller Ltd’s next London sale is on 1 May.BONHAMSCAPTAIN COOK CRUISESCHARLES MILLER LTDBONHAMSBY DAVE SELBYPoring over archive photos with a glass of wine makes me wish I
was capable of time travel as I idle away evenings speculating
what became of vessels depicted in their glory days and wonder
whether they still exist today. One that certainly does is the once
imposing 27m motor yacht Ra Marama, built by the Thornycroft
Works for the Governor of Fiji in the 1950s.
Not that she’s easy to recognise today from a black-and-white
print that was probably taken on her sea trials in the 1950s. Still
in Fiji and now trading as a trip boat, Ra Marama’s
superstructure was removed in the 1990s and her topsides raised
as she was converted into a brigantine. It was only zooming in to
the factory photo that revealed the tell-tale detail and the name
above the wheelhouse that confi rmed her identity.
The 6x8in silver gelatin print is just one of a massive archive
of 1,200 Thornycroft Works photographs showing the British
company’s prodigious output, including naval ships, steam and
sailing yachts, river cruisers, submarines, commercial and
pleasure boats that were produced up river on the Thames and at
Woolston on Southampton Water. The fascinating archive,
coming up at Bonhams’ next London marine sale on 18 April, is
estimated at £1,200-1,500, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this
historian’s treasure trove makes a deal more. The auction majors
on marine art and also includes a number of builder’s models.Thornycroft’s
past glories
BONHAMS