Blockade runner picture

[John F Messner]

It's hard to say but I would guess it was US naval , however the two pictures I have of her after her capture do not show any pilothouse , it is also possible the picture was taken after the war when she was in commercial service from 1865 to 1870 , after which she was sold abroad , possibly to a South American country.
Even though she was the obvious choice really , I couldn't get Quiggens designs out of my head until you closed the door with your court reports in the newspaper . I have a good picture database of all UK builders and it's the only design that comes anywhere close . The Quiggens style stern and round sponson in the picture are so unique that I didn't even entertain a Scottish yard as the builder but I could never reconcile that paddle box pattern being used by them and supposed that it was a late war expedient.
The painting by McFarlane was made in Scotland but my book says it is in a private collection , would that be in the US or Scotland and does the Riverside have a good copy of it , in my copy you can only just make out the teardrops lined in gilt.

I have never seen the actual painting and we don't have a print at the Museum. I am in touch with Steve Wise and could ask him if he still has a good image.

I do love a good mystery. It is where my work of Wyllie came from. Modern, digital imagery and databases really are opening up some interesting avenues for research.

 

[Phantom]

The ship portrait of Let Her Rip is by Duncan (not Donald) McFarlane (c. 1818 - 24/3/1865) of Liverpool. The painting was in the extensive collection of Dr. Charlie Peery of Charleston, South Carolina, and then passed to the state of South Carolina in a complicated gift/purchase exchange of his collection that also satisfiied Federal taxes. At one time the Peery collection would have supported the interpretation at a planned H.L Hunley submarine Museum. I saw it hanging on the wall of Charlie's home in Charleston. The painting was supposed to have passed to the state but I have not verified that all planned transfers took place. I hope to verify which of the more important parts of the collection did make it into public hands on a future visit to Charleston. A black and white photo of the painting was used as the front dust jacket ilustration of Stephen Wise's book Lifeline of the Confederacy.