American Coin Silver. Height: 7” to top of handle.
Marked “C. REDON, W&H.” Claudius Redon (1788-1857) was a New York silversmith who moved to New Orleans by 1830 and worked there unit 1851. The maker was the firm of Wood and Hughes of New York founded by Jacob Wood and Joseph Hughes, working from 1845-1899.
Presentation reads: “ Presented as a testimony of respect to Capt. J. Drew. By the passengers of the Ship Oneco. New Orleans, April 5th, 1848.
The ONECO was an American ship built in 1839 in Duxbury, Massachusetts by master carpenter Samuel Cushing. She was the second-largest ship of the Weston fleet, designed as a freighter for the transportation of cotton from America to Europe. New Orleans was a huge port for cotton-shipping, and the ships made money in both directions -- transporting cotton to Europe and immigrants back. Joshua Drew and Ezra Weston were owners of the ship, and Joshua Drew was also the master (captain).
Ezra Weston was the largest ship-builder in America, establishing a shipyard in Duxbury, MA in 1834. Weston's two sons continued his shipbuilding empire which lasted for 93 years building a total of 97 vessels. Weston ships were universally considered well-made. (see below for more information on the Weston empire, Oneco voyages, and Captain Drew)
The ONECO was 640 tons, and was 147 X 31 X 15 (length, breadth and depth). She had two decks, three masts, square stern, and a figurehead, but no galleries. Her first voyage on March 15, 1839 was Duxbury to Boston. Soon after, she had “a metal suit” placed on her bottom, likely made out of copper. In the early 1840’s, she sailed Boston, New Orleans, LeHavre, St. Ubes (Setubal), and Liverpool. She later sailed to Australia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Calcutta, and Micronesia. She was the only Weston vessel to circumnavigate the globe, and was captained almost exclusively by Joshua Drew, a co-owner.
The ship left Boston on November 26, 1849, "loaded down with gold hunters," according to one of her crew. To acommodate the passengers, her deck houses were fitted out with comfortable quarters, far better than those in which the 22 or so crewmen slept. She was under the direction of Captain Joshua Drew. He had served as master of the Oneco for the better part of ten years. Running her in the cotton trade during the 1840s, Drew and his crew were usually away from Duxbury for a bit more than a year at a time, spending 13 months making two round trips across the Atlantic, then returning for about a month at home. This was typical for a Weston cotton vessel. This voyage, however, would keep Drew away from home for far longer.
The Oneco arrived in San Francisco from Boston on June 23, 1850, after a voyage of 209 days. The prestige of Weston's vessels lay in their cargo capacity and certainly not their speed. How astonished the crew must have been when the extreme clipper ship Sea Witch arrived in San Francisco a month after them, having made the trip from New York in a record 97 days.
On her way to Hong Kong, the Oneco proceeded first to Sydney. Here she picked up a new crew member, an American sailor named Bradley Osbon. Twenty-two at the time, Osbon would go on to become an accomplished naval officer, serving under Admiral Farragut during the Civil War. When he boarded the Oneco, however, his lofty ambitions went no further than the occupation of the fine quarters that had been set up for the gold hunters, now taken over by the crew. "I was the only sailor on her not born on Cape Cod," Osbon later observed.
$ 3,800
American Coin Silver Water Pitcher
Mark of Lincoln and Reed, Boston, ca. 1838. Height: 9 5/8” (to top of handle)
Baluster form, with scroll handle, the body is beautifully engraved with scrolling foliage
Centering a cartouche engraved with the letter P.
$ 1,800
Eli C. Garner. Lexington, Kentucky. 1838-1842. Eli C. Garner was born in Virginia in late 1817 and apprenticed as a silversmith under Asa Blanchard (b.c.1770-1838) in Lexington, Kentucky from 1838 until 1842. Garner worked in Lexington under his name and from 1843 through 1862 in partnership with Daniel Frank Winchester (1817-1868). The firm Garner & Winchester was dissolved in 1862 when Winchester served in the Civil War. $ 1,900
Coin Silver Julep Cup. ca. 1835. Carrington was a silversmith and retailer born in Connecticut, he apprentice in New York where he became friends with Charles Tiffany. Carrington moved to Charleston in 1830 and by 1835 formed his own firm W. Carrington & co. which continued until 1872.
SOLD
Robert & William Wilson were American silversmiths in Philadelphia, active in partnership from 1825–1846.
Robert and William Wilson were brothers. Robert, the elder, started making silver at 25 Dey Street, New York City, in 1803. By 1812 he apparently worked in Philadelphia, and was joined by William in 1825.
$ 495
American Coin Silver Presentation Handle Cup with Repousee scenes. Height: 3 1/4”.
Mark: W.G.&S 1852. ( William Gale & Son, New York, NY. William Gale & William Gale Jr. Firm active 1853-1866.)
A rare and sewing machine operator prize for 1853.
Inscription reads: “ Presented to Mrs. Sarah Jackson as the best operator on Sewing Machines by the N. H. S. M. Co. July 1st. 1853.”
American, 19th century, retailer marks for "T.W Brown" (Thomas William Brown, Wilmington, North Carolina, working 1823-1849), pseudo hallmarks for maker Gale & Hayden (New York City, circa 1846)
H- 3 1/4”, monogram : H. L. C.
