[FOUR LITHOGRAPHED VIEWS OF H.M. FRIGATE PIQUE].
Schetky, John Christian:
Portsea: Printed by Trives & Maynard, [nd, 1835 or 1836]. Four lithographs, approximately 10 x 15 inches (sizes vary slightly). Accompanied by single sheet of letterpress, printed on both sides, titled "Mr. Schetkey [sic] presumes that the following minutes of the Court Martial, together with Captain the Hon. H.J. Rous's Letter to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and their Lordships' Letter to him previous to the paying off of His Majesty's ship Pique, will be a sufficient explanation of these Sketches." [Np. nd, 1835 or 1836]. Oblong broadside, 9 7/8 x 12 3/4 inches. A couple smudges or light fox marks, else fine. Archivally matted, protected with mylar sheets. A very rare pictorial record of an accident, and its aftermath, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada. Henry John Rous, second son of the first Earl of Stradbroke, entered the Royal Navy in 1808. After a distinguished career, he became captain of the Pique, a thirty-six-gun frigate, in November 1834. In September of the following year, on a voyage from Quebec to England, the ship ran ashore on a reef off Cape Forteau, on the coast of Labrador. The Pique was badly damaged, but through the heroic efforts of captain and crew, they were able to complete a voyage of 1500 miles and anchored at St. Helen's on Oct. 24, 1835. A formal court-martial was held at Portsmouth shortly afterward, as described in the letterpress accompanying the lithographs, and Capt. Rous was fully acquitted. Whatever the cause of the accident, the sequel was an example of great seamanship. Rous soon retired from the navy and began a notable career in the field of horse racing, for which he is now chiefly remembered (see DNB). These four fine captioned lithographs show the Pique at four stages: striking the reef, firing guns of distress, in the tow of a French brig, and at the dock at Portsmouth (with details showing considerable damage). The plates were drawn by John Christian Schetky (1778- 1874), a prominent marine painter. "His sympathetic drawings in water-colours and sketches in pen-and-ink of English men-of-war are still highly esteemed" - DNB. Schetky is identified in the imprints here as belonging to the Royal Naval College at Portsmouth. He was actually professor of drawing there until the dissolution of that establishment in 1836. Schetky did publish other lithographs of marine subjects, including a suite of views of the action in the War of 1812 between the British frigate, Shannon, and the American frigate, Chesapeake, printed in 1830. We have been unable to locate any reference to the present series. Not in Sabin, TPL, BM CATALOGUE, nor the NUC.
(Item ID: WRCAM24732) $3,000.00