Mystic Seaport Sailing Card Collection

Manuscripts Collection 112

Overview of the Collection

Repository: G. W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport
Title: Mystic Seaport Sailing Card Collection
Extent: ca. 200 items
Abstract: Sailing cards (used to advertise vessel qualifications and sailing dates) for a number of well-known vessels, including the DAVID CROCKETT, GREAT REPUBLIC, and YOUNG AMERICA, and other vessels, including several for other vessels built in Mystic, Connecticut.
Identification: Coll. 112

History of Sailing Cards

According to “American Maritime Documents 1776-1860” by Doug Stein, sailing cards are;

Often printed on heavy grade card stock, 4″ x 6 ” being a common size. Many examples feature elaborately engraved scenes, and contain as many as seven different colors. The reverse side is usually blank.

Sailing cards . . . are significant and distinctive maritime documents. Agents or owners commonly advertised the availability and loading of their vessels in the local newspapers, but by the mid-1850’s the colorful sailing cards began to appear in the windows of shipping firms, banks, and public shops along the waterfronts in ports like New York and Boston. These cards might be printed several days prior to the anticipated departure, in order to secure last-minute cargo or passengers. Initially a specific sailing date was not included on the card, although some later examples do state that the ship would sail “on or about” a certain day. Sailing cards then, are difficult to date accurately, but it seems that many of the vessels represented on these eye-catching advertisements flourished between the 1850’s and the 1880’s. Many of the early card announcements were used primarily to advertise sailings to California following the discovery of gold there in 1849. Consequently, [they are] often referred to as “clipper ship sailing cards.” Evidence would indicate, however, that they continued to be used long after the preeminence of the clipper (and gold fever) had passed. Despite this lengthy period of use, sailing cards are relatively scarce.

Top →


Arrangement

This collection is organized into three series, the first being whole and original cards, the second series being for reproductions that we have included in the collection, and the third series contains fragments of cards.

Each series is arranged alphabetically by vessel name.

Top →


Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Available for use in the Manuscripts Division.

Restrictions on Use

Various copying restriction apply. Guidelines are available from the Manuscripts Division.

Top →


Index Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the G. W. Blunt White Library. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Subjects:

Advertising
Sailing ships
Shipping

Document Types:

Advertising cards
Sailing cards

Top →


Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Coll. 112, Manuscripts Collection, G. W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc.

Top →


Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Sailing cards arranged by vessel name. Sailing card reproductions arranged by vessel name. Sailing cards – fragments and miscellaneous pieces.

Box Folder
1 1 ANDREW JACKSON. Images
Box Folder
1 1 ALLEGHANEAN. Images
2 ASTERION. Images
3 AUDUBON. Images
4 BELVEDERE. Images
5 BLACK HAWK. Images
6 BLACK PRINCE. Images
7 BLUE JACKET. Images
8 BRYN IVOR. Images
9 BUNKER HILL. Images
10 C. S. PENNELL. Images
11 CARRIER DOVE. Images
12 CELESTIAL EMPIRE. Images
13 CHALLENGER. Images
14 COMET; SCA 1.13. Images
15 COMET; SCA 1.14 (2). Images
15 COMET. Images
16 CONQUEST. Images
17 CREMORNE. Images
18 DAVID CROCKETT; SCA 1.17. Images
19 DAVID CROCKETT. Images
20 DERBY. Images
21 DON QUIXOTE; SCA 1.20. Images
22 DON QUIXOTE; SCA 1.21. Images
23 DONATI. Images
24 E. H. TAYLOR. Images
25 E. M. YOUNG. Images
26 EAGLE WING. Images
27 ELLEN SEARS. Images
28 EMERALD ISLE. Images
29 ENDEAVOR. Images
30 ENTERPRISE. Images
31 FAVORITA. Images
32 FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE. Images
33 FLYING SCUD. Images
34 FREE TRADE. Images
35 FRIENDS. Images
36 GALATEA; SCA 1.34. Images
37 GALATEA; SCA 1.35. Images
38 GARIBALDI; SCA 1.36. Images
39 GARIBALDI; SCA 1.37. Images
40 GOLDEN FLEECE. Images
41 GOV. MORTON. Images
42 GREAT REPUBLIC. Images
43 HIGHLANDER. Images
44 HORNET; SCA 1.43. Images
45 HORNET; SCA 1.44. Images
46 HORNET; SCA 1.45. Images
47 I. F. CHAPMAN. Images
48 IONE. Images
49 ISAAC JEANES. Images
50 JOHN GILPIN. Images
51 KING PHILIP. Images
52 KINGFISHER. Images
53 LADY WASHINGTON. Images
54 LOGAN. Images
55 LOOKOUT; SCA 1.51. Images
56 LOOKOUT; SCA 1.52. Images
57 LOOKOUT; SCA 1.53. Images
Box Folder
2 1 MAMELUKE. Images
2 MARY ROBINSON. Images
3 MEMNON. Images
4 MERCHANT. Images
5 MIDNIGHT. Images
6 NE PLUS ULTRA. Images
7 OCEAN EXPRESS. Images
8 PANAMA. Images
9 PANTHER. Images
10 PEARL. Images
11 POLLY. Images
12 POLYNESIA. Images
13 POLYNESIA. Images
14 PRIMA DONNA. Images
15 PRINCESS. Images
16 QUEEN OF THE EAST. Images
17 RACER. Images
18 RADUGA. Images
19 RANGOON. Images
20 RICHARD S. ELY. Images
21 ROBIN HOOD. Images
22 ROCKLAND. Images
23 SAMARIA. Images
24 SEA NYMPH. Images
25 SEA SERPENT. Images
26 SEMINOLE. Images
27 SKYLARK. Images
28 STAR OF THE UNION. Images
29 SUCCESS. Images
30 SUNRISE. Images
31 SUNSHINE. Images
32 SUSAN FEARING. Images
33 SYREN. Images
34 THATCHER MAGOUN. Images
35 THERESE. Images
36 TITAN. Images
37 TRIADE TARABOCHIA. Images
38 TYCOON. Images
39 UNDAUNTED. Images
40 VALPARAISO. Images
41 WEALTHY PENDLETON. Images
42 WHISTLER. Images
43 WHITE SWALLOW. Images
44 WM. CHAMBERLAIN. Images
45 WIZARD KING. Images
46 YOUNG AMERICA. Images
47 YOUNG AMERICA. Images
48 YOUNG AMERICA; (Postcard). Images
49 ZOUAVE. Images
50 COMMODORE.
50 ERICSSON.
50 FLEET-WING.
50 GARIBALDI.
50 GRACE DARLING.
50 IVANHOE.
50 LOOKOUT.
50 ONTARIO.
50 PAULINE.
50 REPORTER.
50 ST. CHARLES.
50 SILAS FISH.
51 B. F. HOXIE.
51 CREOLE. Images
51 CUTWATER. Images
51 DANIEL MARRY. Images
51 DAVID CROCKETT. Images
51 DREADNOUGHT. Images
51 LADOGA. Images
51 MESSENGER. Images
51 NABOB. Images
51 NAPIER. Images
51 PRIMA DONNA.
51 ROANOKE. Images
51 WHISTLER. Images