Digest>Archives> August 2006

Collecting Nautical Antiques

Can You Help?

By Jim Claflin

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A reader recently sent us some images of a lighthouse organization’s pennant from a country other than the United States. The pennant is made of muslin or wool, double-sided and sewn with a crude lighthouse and 17 stars — 8 vertically and 9 horizontally. The pennant measures 34” high by 50” long. We wonder which country this pennant is from and hope that someone reading this will be able to shed some light to this question.

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As you may know, the United States Lighthouse Service had a similar pennant that was flown from all of their vessels including tenders and lightships. It was similar in shape, with a blue lighthouse on a field of white, with a red border. Originals are extremely rare — we have had only one in 15 years. Typically it was flown from the top of the main mast, with the American flag being flown from the stern.

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Another item that has come to our attention is a porcelain sink manufactured by James M. Shaw & Company in New York. The sink is purported to have come from a U.S. light station and is quite attractive. Around the bowl and the perimeter is an attractive rope design that has a maritime flair and certainly looks the part. I wonder if anyone out there who has restored or seen other light stations might have come across this or a similar design.

If we get any further information on these items we will include it in our next column.

Another item which we have recently come across and you might want to look for in your area out-of-print book store is the National Park Service Historic Structure Reports. In this case we were able to pick up a report by Dewey Livingston and Steven Burke entitled The History and Architecture of the Point Reyes Lifeboat Station (1991). We have had others covering Cape Cod Light, Nauset Light, Old Harbor Life Saving Station, Cape Hatteras Light and more. The reports are extremely detailed and provide a valuable foundation for the rehabilitation, restoration, stabilization or reconstruction of the historic structure named. Such reports are particularly important for fabricating significant missing architectural or landscape features, recapturing the appearance of a property at one particular period of its history, removing later additions, or substantially modifying existing historic fabric. The documents provide a project architect with the information necessary for making appropriate decisions on restoring or removing fabric, and on period of restoration, including a clear description of the building’s architectural history, its original appearance, what changes were made and when, and its present condition. In addition, it provides guidance with respect to any new work proposed. It also includes extensive vintage and current photographs including crews, boats and equipment, architectural plans, plot plans, interior views with analysis, marine railway, out buildings and much more. These reports can be a most important reference for anyone working on or interested in such stations and the information found within can be applied to other stations as well. They are well worth keeping your eyes open for.

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Have suggestions for future subjects?

Please send in your suggestions and questions, or a photograph of an object that you need help dating or identifying. We will include the answer to a selected inquiry as a regular feature each month in our column.

Jim Claflin is a recognized authority on antiques of the U.S. Lighthouse Service, Life-Saving Service, Revenue Cutter Service and early Coast Guard. In addition to authoring and publishing a number of books on the subject, Jim is the owner of Kenrick A Claflin & Son Nautical Antiques. In business since 1956, he has specialized in antiques of this type since the early 1990s. He may be contacted by writing to him at 1227 Pleasant Street, Worcester, MA 01602, or by calling (508) 792-6627. You may also contact him by email: jclaflin@lighthouseantiques.net or visit his web site at www.lighthouseantiques.net.

This story appeared in the August 2006 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.

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