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Historic Square Rigger Wiscombe Park Oil Painting

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Historic Square Rigger Wiscombe Park Oil Painting %%alt5%% %%alt6%%
Historic Square Rigger Wiscombe Park Oil Painting Attributed to R A Borstel

An extensively researched early 20th-century oil painting of the merchant sailing ship Wiscombe Park, a 281-foot three-masted steel square rigger with important Liverpool and Australian connections. Cautiously attributed to Australian marine artist Reginald Arthur Borstel (1875-1922), circa 1910-1917.

Highlights

Historic British maritime ship portrait

Attributed to Reginald Arthur Borstel

Circa 1910-1917

Oil on canvas, unsigned

Approximately 59 x 90 cm canvas

Three-masted steel full-rigged vessel

Approximately 281 ft long and 2,228 tons

John Blumer & Co., Sunderland, yard no. 117

G. Windram & Co., Liverpool association

Probable "GW&Co" house flag

Separate Borstel Wiscombe Park documented in 1917

David Duggleby provenance

Introduction

An impressive portrait of the historic British square rigger Wiscombe Park, shown making way through lively seas beneath a broad spread of canvas.

The ship is depicted as an identifiable working vessel rather than an imaginary marine subject. Crew figures are visible on deck, the rigging is carefully observed and WISCOMBE PARK appears prominently upon the bow.

Further research has revealed two particularly important clues: the red house flag appears consistent with G. Windram & Co. of Liverpool, while a separate portrait of this exact ship under Reginald Arthur Borstel's name is recorded from 1917.

Catalogue Details

Artist / Attribution: Attributed to Reginald Arthur Borstel (Australian, 1875-1922)

Title: Portrait of the Three-Masted Square Rigger Wiscombe Park

Date: Circa 1910-1917

Medium: Oil on canvas

Signed: Unsigned

Vessel: Wiscombe Park

Type: Steel three-masted full-rigged general cargo sailing ship

Builder: John Blumer & Co., Sunderland

Yard Number: 117

Launched: 4 November 1891

Completed: 1892

Original Owning Company: Ship "Wiscombe Park" Co. Ltd.

Managers: G. Windram & Co., Liverpool

Port of Registry: Liverpool

Official Number: 99361

Signal Letters: WLBP

Tonnage: Approximately 2,228 tons

Length: Approximately 281 ft

Breadth: Approximately 42.2 ft

Canvas: Approximately 59 x 90 cm

Framed: Approximately 74.5 x 105.5 x 1.5 cm

Frame: Later Larson-Juhl moulded gilt frame

Catalogue Note

David Duggleby Auctioneers & Valuers previously catalogued the painting conservatively as English School, early 20th century. Subsequent research has allowed a more specific attribution to be considered.

A different portrait of Wiscombe Park is recorded under Reginald Arthur Borstel's name and dated 1917. It cannot authenticate the present unsigned work, but importantly confirms that Borstel painted this particular vessel.

The large red house flag appears to show reversed "GW&Co" lettering. If correctly identified with G. Windram & Co., it may record the ship during her earlier management period before the 1911 ownership change.

Since maritime painters could work from photographs, the scene represented may predate the execution of the canvas. The present work is therefore cautiously catalogued as attributed to Borstel, circa 1910-1917.

Historical Importance

Wiscombe Park belonged to the closing generation of large British commercial sailing vessels.

At approximately 281 feet long and around 2,228 tons, she was built for international ocean-going cargo service.

Her three-masted full-rigged configuration was increasingly unusual among substantial sailing vessels as four-masted barques became more prominent.

Reginald Arthur Borstel

Born in Sydney in 1875, Borstel became a specialist portraitist of named sailing ships.

His documentary maritime paintings and relationship with photographic source material make him particularly relevant to the present work.

Recorded Borstel subjects include John Ena, West Lothian, Port Jackson, Speedonia and Wiscombe Park.

Built by John Blumer & Co.

Wiscombe Park was constructed in steel at Sunderland as John Blumer & Co. yard number 117.

Launched on 4 November 1891 and completed in 1892, she was built for Ship "Wiscombe Park" Co. Ltd., with G. Windram & Co. of Liverpool as managers.

She carried Official Number 99361 and signal letters WLBP.

The Windram Connection

The probable "GW&Co" flag in the painting is especially interesting because G. Windram & Co. is independently documented in connection with the vessel.

Royal Museums Greenwich also preserves a period photograph of Wiscombe Park associated with Ship "Wiscombe Park" Co. Ltd. and G. Windram & Co.

This makes the flag potentially useful evidence for identifying the period represented.

British, French & German Ownership

The ship passed to Chadwick, Wainwright & Co. in 1911.

She was sold into French ownership in 1919 and renamed Edouard Bureau.

During the 1920s she subsequently entered German ownership and was adapted as a sail-training vessel.

Australian Maritime History

Wiscombe Park maintained important commercial links with Australia.

Records place the vessel in Australian waters during the 1910s, including 1917.

The separate Borstel Wiscombe Park is also dated 1917, providing a particularly relevant historical connection between the vessel and the Australian artist.

Dating Evidence

The painting is cautiously dated circa 1910-1917.

The probable Windram house flag may preserve the ship's pre-1911 appearance, but a later painting based upon an earlier photograph remains plausible.

The separate 1917 Borstel work provides useful comparative context without establishing the precise date of this canvas.

Final Voyage from Port Pirie

The vessel's final voyage began in Australia in 1927.

She departed Port Pirie carrying wheat for Europe and endured severe conditions around Cape Horn.

After eventually reaching British waters, she grounded on Twin Rocks in the Irish Sea. Although refloated, she was judged uneconomic to repair and subsequently broken up.

Wiscombe Park & John Everett

British marine painter Herbert Barnard John Everett boarded Wiscombe Park while she was at Ipswich in 1921 and made sketches aboard her.

Several Everett works depicting the vessel are now held by Royal Museums Greenwich.

Together with the Borstel connection, this provides an unusually substantial artistic record of the ship.

Research Status

The present canvas remains unsigned.

The Borstel attribution, circa 1910-1917 dating and identification of the house flag are presented as considered research opinions and remain open to refinement through future evidence.

Provenance

Private collection, Northern England.

David Duggleby Auctioneers & Valuers, Scarborough, 16 January 2025, Lot 4020.

Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®.

Earlier provenance remains under investigation.
Selected Research Sources

Royal Museums Greenwich / National Maritime Museum.

Design & Art Australia Online.

Naval Historical Society of Australia.

Neville Pamment, The Great Circle, 2018.

Daina Fletcher, Australian maritime-art research.

NSW Shipping Master's Office / Mariners and Ships in Australian Waters.

Falkland Islands National Archives.

Historical 1917 Borstel Wiscombe Park record.

Christie's - Borstel West Lothian.

Bonhams - Borstel John Ena and Port Jackson.

Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales - Borstel Speedonia.

John Blumer & Co. / Sunderland shipbuilding research.

David Duggleby Auctioneers & Valuers.

Shipping

Worldwide shipping is available.

Owing to the substantial dimensions and weight of the framed painting, it will be professionally packaged using appropriate protective materials and dispatched fully insured.

International buyers are welcome. Please contact us for a destination-specific delivery quotation or to discuss any particular shipping requirements.

Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution

The artwork will be supplied with a Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution issued by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®, recording the artwork’s catalogue details, attribution, provenance as stated, and details of the sale. This document accompanies the work as part of its ongoing ownership and provenance record.

Attribution and Research

The historical observations, provenance research, attribution analysis and contextual commentary presented within this catalogue entry represent the professional opinion of Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®. They are offered in good faith as informed scholarly assessments based upon the available evidence, comparative research, published reference material and our experience within the international fine art market.

These observations should be understood as professional opinions rather than definitive statements of fact or guarantees of authorship, attribution, date, origin, provenance or historical interpretation. As with all historic works of art, future documentary discoveries, technical examination, conservation analysis or advances in academic research may refine, expand or revise current interpretations.

Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®

Specialising in carefully curated British and European fine art, antiques and historic works of art.

Every artwork is professionally researched and catalogued using comparative scholarship, published reference material and more than two decades of experience within the international fine art market. We are committed to offering collectors works of artistic and historical merit accompanied by transparent provenance research, detailed catalogue descriptions and professional, client-focused service.

Additional photographs and further information are available upon request.
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We ship worldwide with expert bespoke professional wrapping & packing and offer attractive international shipping rates with insurance – please send us your post / zip code and country for a quote.
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Registered Office Address

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71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9JQ

Company Number 15666518
GB VAT registration number 466128775


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Goods can be bought by either International bank wire transfer or domestic BACS payment we can email you an invoice together with our banking instructions. Cash upon collection is also accepted. Shipping is with insurance cover. Import duty and taxes payable by the buyer please enquire if you need any assistance. Delivery time is usually within 2 weeks for International and 1 week for domestic shipping approximate. It can be faster depending upon the size and weight of the item(s) that you ordering from us. You are also welcome to arrange for your own courier to collect as long as we have received full cleared bank transfer payment.
Price
£8500.00  UK
$11237.00  USA
€10037.65  EU
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Shipping information
We offer Free Delivery to Mainland England, Wales mainland & Scottish lowlands mainland areas only!
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Delivery by parcel courier within the UK Mainland will be used for all smalls, paintings & all furniture items allow between 2 to 5 working days delivery time. Online tracking can be provided. International delivery airfreight is available estimated delivery times between 5 to 14 working days approximate upon request by providing your full name and address together with a postal area or zip code and a contact phone number.

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Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD operates on a Delivery Duty Unpaid (DDU) basis which means that the International buyer is responsible for any import duties, taxes & customs clearance and any other charges which may be necessary to release an order from international customs.
Following the UK leaving the EU on 1st January 2021 (BREXIT) there have been some changes to customs & duty charges for EU customers. Tax and import duty varies from country to country so we recommend you check with your local tax office to see if any fees will be payable.
If the customer refuses to pay any duty and customs charges and the parcel is returned to sender all shipping charges will be deducted from any refund.
Terms and conditions
For International buyers please contact us before you order as shipping costs are additional please request a shipping quote, also to advise that any import duty taxes due are additional and are payable by the buyer.
For both domestic & International buyers please get in touch for a shipping quote thankyou. Our payment method is by BACS Bank Transfer for UK domestic clients and for International clients payment is preferred by international bank wire transfer. We no longer accept any Online Card or in person card payments due to payment providers charging us and not returning the processing transaction fee even if an order is fraudulent, cancelled or returned. All Item(s) will need to be settled by bank transfer only. We will email you a proforma invoice with our bank details.
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Upgrades & Exchanges are also offered please ask.

Returns are accepted within 14 days of receipt. The buyer is solely responsible for paying the entire costs of the outbound & return shipping costs also any import costs & duty taxes due. Return authorisation should be requested by sending an email before posting. Once we receive the item in good order as supplied not withstanding notified transit damage, we will return partial refund payment using the same payment method less our shipping costs. For any Refunds given the refund amount will have our cost of the outbound shipping costs deducted.

Customs Payment & Brexit
Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD operates on a Delivery Duty Unpaid (DDU) basis which means that the International buyer is responsible for any import duties, taxes & customs which may be necessary to release an order from international customs.
Following the UK leaving the EU on 1st January 2021 (BREXIT) there have been some changes to customs & duty charges for EU customers. Tax and import duty varies from country to country so we recommend you check with your local tax office to see if any fees will be payable.
If the customer refuses to pay any duty and customs charges and the parcel is returned to sender all shipping charges will be deducted from any refund.
DimensionsDimensions Framed: 74.5 x 105.5 x 1.5 cm Canvas: Approximately 59 x 90 cm Category Antique Pictures / Engravings / Art > Antique Oil Paintings Date 1910  1910s Antiques Material Oil Painting on Canvas Origin Australian Condition Condition Report Historic condition with extensive age-related craquelure, staining, surface wear and previous restoration. Several canvas patches and repairs are visible verso and correspond with restored tears and retouching. Further localised paint disturbance and loss are present. The later Larson-Juhl gilt frame has minor wear. Please study all photographs carefully. Item code as1013a1359 Status For Sale

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Historic Square Rigger Wiscombe Park Oil Painting
 
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