Antique Rarities

Description

A back painted picture of the RMS Lusitania serving as a salutary commemoration of its demise in 1915 - The Lusitania, which had, for a short while, been the world's largest passenger ship: was sunk on 7 May 1915 by a German U-boat 11 mi (18 km) off the southern coast of Ireland. This act of war, targeting a ship carrying many civilians from the then neutral United States of America, cited as one of the reasons for the United States declaration of war on Germany (1917).
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The ship was technically unarmed and was carrying nearly two thousand passengers and crew so the British government accused the Germans of breaching the Cruiser Rules. The sinking caused a storm of protest in the United States on account of 128 American citizens being amongst the dead.
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Lusitania was for a time holder of the Blue Riband appellation for the fastest Atlantic crossing, and was briefly the world's largest passenger ship until the completion of her sister ship Mauretania. The Cunard Line launched Lusitania in 1906, at a time of fierce competition for the North Atlantic trade. She sank on her 202nd trans-Atlantic crossing.
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Both Lusitania and Mauretania were fitted with revolutionary new turbine engines that enabled them to maintain a service speed of 25 knots (46 km/h 29 mph). They were equipped with lifts, wireless telegraph and electric light, and provided 50% more passenger space than any other ship the first class decks were noted for their sumptuous furnishings.
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Lusitania's sister ship, the Mauretania, had long and successful career: finally being taken out of service, to be replaced with another vessel of the same name in the 1930s. (NB - we have a sextant listed on Antiques Atlas that saw service aboard)
Measuring 6 inches by 6 inches there is a certain amount of paint loss, as seen in images, commensurate with its age of near one hundred years. The mother of pearl fragments, which give the illusion of lit cabins, are present but any fabric or paper backing there might once have had is lacking.
Price includes insured postage of this momento of a great ocean liner, and the part it played in the history of the Great War, to any UK address.
All items are covered by the Distance Selling Regulations which give buyers the right to cancel the purchase within seven days after receipt of the item for a full refund less RETURN transport costs