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THBAlbumen Print of the Ill-Fated Civil War Steamer Sultana
About Seller
6270 Este Ave.
Cincinnati , OH 45232
United States
With offices in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Denver, Cowan’s holds over 40 auctions each year, with annual sales exceeding $16M. We reach buyers around the globe, and take pride in our reputation for integrity, customer service and great results. A full-service house, Cowan’s Auctions specializes in Am...Read more
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About Auction
LiveJun 22, 2018
Cowan’s American History: Premier Auction, scheduled for June 22, 2018 is comprised of early photographs, documents, manuscripts, broadsides, flags, and more dating from the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, Late Indian Wars, World War I and II and beyond. Cowan's Auctions dawnie@cowans.com
View Full Catalog (502)
- Lot Description
Albumen print, 5 x 7.25 in., of a retouched enlargement made from a photograph of the Sultana taken at Helena, AR, on April 26, 1865, a day before she was destroyed. The original image of the overcrowded vessel is credited to Thomas W. Bankes, who was based in Helena; however further research indicates that Bankes left the area in 1863 for Little Rock, so we cannot confirm that he produced the original image. The view captures a large crowd of paroled Union prisoners packed tightly together on the steamboat's decks. The print is affixed to a mount with heading, "Sultana Survivors' Association," which lists the names and former regiments of the officers in the association, as well as a brief history of the ill-fated steamer. With photo credit to F.B. Zay, Findlay, OH at lower right. Matted and framed, 13.75 x 18 in., with descriptive plaque indicating that the image was previously owned by maritime artifact expert and collector Ken Schultz.
After surviving life in Confederate prison camps, 2,300 just-released Union prisoners of war, plus crew and civilian passengers, stood elbow-to-elbow on the Sultana. Carrying six times its legal limit, the Sultana puttered up the strong currents of the Mighty Mississippi towards home. That morning, one of its boilers sprung a leak. Ship Captain J. Cass Mason made the fatal decision to put a patch of metal over the bulge in the boiler rather than removing and replacing it. At 2 AM, April 27, 1865, the repaired boiler exploded, causing two of the three other boilers to explode. Fire raged through the overcrowded ship. Instead of fighting the flames, panicked passengers jumped into the icy waters. Many helplessly watched their comrades and loved ones be swallowed by the current or burned to death. Some 1,500 people died, making it the worst maritime disaster in US history.
Toning to print, with minor wear near top left edge. Few stains on mount. Not examined outside frame.Condition
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