frankynohankypanky
Member
The inferred Australian connection in the catalog description piqued my interest when it was offered in RIA's Sept. 2021 auction. It did not sell. However, it was sold in their most recent auction for $70,500 (including buyer's premium). I hope the buyer didn't factor in the doubtful Australian connection when bidding.
It is my opinion that this R.R. was never in Australia for the Melbourne International Exhibition (Oct 1, 1880, to April 30, 1881).
The S&W items were shipped from New York on June 10, 1880, by E.W. Page & Son, on the sailing ship "Eric the Red". In the shipment were, and here I will quote Roy Jinks from a thread on the SWCA side of the forum from 2012;
"I have identified what I believe to be the R.R.
lost in the ship wreck, serial numbers 43, 47,
65, 79. The replacements I believe were 37,
92, 412, 469, 709 and 814."
So no mention of no. 221, the R.R. recently sold.
Eric the Red was wrecked off Cape Otway, Victoria, on Sept. 4, 1880, after a voyage of eighty five days and within a day's sailing of Melbourne. This was just under a month prior to the Exhibition opening. The replacements were hurriedly sent out by steamer but I don't know when that arrived. Eric the Red was carrying many of the exhibits from the U.S. apart from firearms. Items from Colt were also on the ship.
Roy Jinks also sent me a PM in 2012 listing the numbers of another twenty four R.R.'s shipped on Feb. 3, 1881. These were again shipped to E.W Page & Son, New York, and then to Australia marked to Lyman E. Page, 71 1/2 Little Collins Street, Melbourne. That address is in the Melbourne CBD. I can only assume that Lyman was a member of the New York family and was perhaps here to oversee the Exhibition display.
In that list of twenty four no. 221 does not appear.
Obviously these R.R.'s would have arrived too late for the exhibition. Perhaps they were to fill orders received at the exhibition.
The catalog description mentions a "misplaced previously issued factory letter." I would think that, being misplaced, such a letter was not worth the paper it was written on.
Because the ship was wrecked close to shore near a relatively settled part of Australia, much of its cargo was washed ashore and retrieved by locals and others who had rushed to the area in the hope of gathering up some of the spoils. I have a book of 58 pages in my library entitled "Wreck of the Ship Eric the Red" by Jack Loney. From the early 1950's until the mid 90's Jack wrote extensively about the many shipwrecks along this part of the Victorian coast, and one contemporary report said,
"Almost all the wreckage went west, strewing the
beaches for over a distance of 30 miles. People came
from all parts, Bendigo, Melbourne and Geelong. There
was an immense quantity of wreckage comprising oils,
kerosene, tobacco, rifles, revolvers, watches, etc. It was
reported that one box of watches was valued at one
thousand pounds."
Soon after the wreck most children living in the area became familiar with the popular prayer, "dear God, bless Mummy and Daddy and please send us another wreck soon."
Jack Loney relates another story told to him by an old resident of the area of an old Irish couple suspected of sly grogging and who were thought to have some cases of sporting rifles stolen off the beach.
"the authorities came and searched the place but no
rifles could be found. While looking around one of
them noticed a trap door in the ceiling. "What's up
there?" he asked. "Sure gentlemen," said the wife,
"look and see for yourselves. I'll move the table for
yees to stand on." No one suspected that the old, big,
oak table had about twelve or more rifles under the
top in cleats. The old couple gradually sold the rifles
they had collected.
So, as far as S&W were concerned, their guns were lost. But I am sure many of them found new homes.
Only a few years ago I was at a firearms auction in Melbourne when a cased 1877 Colt Lightning that was recovered from the wreck was auctioned. Two bidders battled for it and if memory serves me correctly it was sold for somewhere around $28,000AUS.
FRANK STAIG.
It is my opinion that this R.R. was never in Australia for the Melbourne International Exhibition (Oct 1, 1880, to April 30, 1881).
The S&W items were shipped from New York on June 10, 1880, by E.W. Page & Son, on the sailing ship "Eric the Red". In the shipment were, and here I will quote Roy Jinks from a thread on the SWCA side of the forum from 2012;
"I have identified what I believe to be the R.R.
lost in the ship wreck, serial numbers 43, 47,
65, 79. The replacements I believe were 37,
92, 412, 469, 709 and 814."
So no mention of no. 221, the R.R. recently sold.
Eric the Red was wrecked off Cape Otway, Victoria, on Sept. 4, 1880, after a voyage of eighty five days and within a day's sailing of Melbourne. This was just under a month prior to the Exhibition opening. The replacements were hurriedly sent out by steamer but I don't know when that arrived. Eric the Red was carrying many of the exhibits from the U.S. apart from firearms. Items from Colt were also on the ship.
Roy Jinks also sent me a PM in 2012 listing the numbers of another twenty four R.R.'s shipped on Feb. 3, 1881. These were again shipped to E.W Page & Son, New York, and then to Australia marked to Lyman E. Page, 71 1/2 Little Collins Street, Melbourne. That address is in the Melbourne CBD. I can only assume that Lyman was a member of the New York family and was perhaps here to oversee the Exhibition display.
In that list of twenty four no. 221 does not appear.
Obviously these R.R.'s would have arrived too late for the exhibition. Perhaps they were to fill orders received at the exhibition.
The catalog description mentions a "misplaced previously issued factory letter." I would think that, being misplaced, such a letter was not worth the paper it was written on.
Because the ship was wrecked close to shore near a relatively settled part of Australia, much of its cargo was washed ashore and retrieved by locals and others who had rushed to the area in the hope of gathering up some of the spoils. I have a book of 58 pages in my library entitled "Wreck of the Ship Eric the Red" by Jack Loney. From the early 1950's until the mid 90's Jack wrote extensively about the many shipwrecks along this part of the Victorian coast, and one contemporary report said,
"Almost all the wreckage went west, strewing the
beaches for over a distance of 30 miles. People came
from all parts, Bendigo, Melbourne and Geelong. There
was an immense quantity of wreckage comprising oils,
kerosene, tobacco, rifles, revolvers, watches, etc. It was
reported that one box of watches was valued at one
thousand pounds."
Soon after the wreck most children living in the area became familiar with the popular prayer, "dear God, bless Mummy and Daddy and please send us another wreck soon."
Jack Loney relates another story told to him by an old resident of the area of an old Irish couple suspected of sly grogging and who were thought to have some cases of sporting rifles stolen off the beach.
"the authorities came and searched the place but no
rifles could be found. While looking around one of
them noticed a trap door in the ceiling. "What's up
there?" he asked. "Sure gentlemen," said the wife,
"look and see for yourselves. I'll move the table for
yees to stand on." No one suspected that the old, big,
oak table had about twelve or more rifles under the
top in cleats. The old couple gradually sold the rifles
they had collected.
So, as far as S&W were concerned, their guns were lost. But I am sure many of them found new homes.
Only a few years ago I was at a firearms auction in Melbourne when a cased 1877 Colt Lightning that was recovered from the wreck was auctioned. Two bidders battled for it and if memory serves me correctly it was sold for somewhere around $28,000AUS.
FRANK STAIG.
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