- DeptMaritime Arts
- Size7 ¾ in. x 9 ¾ in.
- Sold$18,000
SOLD FOR $18,000
Important Ship’s Logbook: “Journal of a Whaling Voyage On Board Ship Wabash from New London Toward the South Atlantic Ocean, Luther Fuller, Master,” kept by First Mate Thomas G. Nickerson from June 23, 1832 – April 11, 1833
Thomas G. Nickerson (1805-1883) was cabin boy on the whaleship Essex, which was stove by a whale and sunk November 20th, 1820. Nickerson left the wreckage aboard Owen Chase’s whaleboat and was rescued after 89 days adrift at sea. He was one only of eight survivors of the Essex. Nickerson and Chase’s later written accounts inspired Herman Melville to write Moby Dick. After rescue, he returned to Nantucket and quickly returned to whaling, eventually working his way up the ranks to captain.
This journal was kept while Nickerson was first mate of the ship Wabash, which began whaling in 1828. As the ship returned home to New London from its next voyage, in 1834, it was lost off Montauk Point, Long Island, carrying 1,100 barrels of whale oil.
This leather-bound volume with marbleized cover boards contains a total of 78 pages. The log of daily entries, written in clear and legible script, includes: weather observations; positions; 36 watercolor entries of American and other countries’ flags of ships sighted flying their colors; 44 whale’s tail stamps indicating sighted whales; 22 full-body whale stamps of various species taken by the ship, some with “chimney’s afire” spouting blood from their blowholes; and multiple watercolor landscape views of various ports and harbors.
Other highlights in the log include: his wife’s name on the inside cover; Nickerson’s signature on the final entry; a full-page list of whales taken with date, longitude and latitude, the number of barrels of oil produced, and the name of the whale totaling 22 whales, 1683 barrels, 4 sunk whales lost; and a complete list of officers and crew. The journal also contains later drawings and letters written by Nickerson’s nephew Franklin R. Coffin, dated 1859.
Provenance: Descended in Family, Thomas G. Nickerson to Margaret B. (Drew) Nickerson, Franklin R. Coffin, Lydia B. Ray, Nantucket, Currier Estate, Portland, Connecticut.
Accompanied by 19th century Coffin and Currier family Daughters of the American Revolution Genealogy record documents.
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