photograph
Artwork
Accession Number
991.017.013Alternate Name
reprintDescription
A black and white photograph of a small simply furnished bedroom paneled with lightly painted woodwork, along the right wall a single bed with arched headboard with end-finials, above the bed a framed picture with a circular cut matboard, beside the bed a chair with cane back, above it a small electric lamp with shade mounted on the wall, at left a matching cane-backed chair, a mirrored-back dressing table between two windows against the left wall, the dresser-top covered by a plain white runner and a brush and comb set, clothes brush and ceramic tray, above the mirror are two wall mounted lights with acorn shaped clear cut-glass shades, the wall to wall carpeting covered with an Oriental carpet in front of the dressing table, the back wall with an open door through which can be seen another room.Narrative
The TSSY DOLAURA was a private yacht built in 1908 for Hon. James Dunsmuir by the Fleming and Ferguson shipyard of Paisely, Scotland. It was named by combining the names of Dola and Laura Dunsmuir.The next four owners were members of the New York Yacht Club. In 1920, the yacht was sold to Arthur Meeker and renamed the VICTORIA; from 1922 to 1924 the yacht belonged to James Shewan and renamed the PATRICIA; from 1926 to 1928 the yacht belonged to Russell A. Alger and was renamed the LAURENTIAN; from 1929 to 1936 the yacht belonged to George W. Childs Drexel and was renamed the ALCEDO.
From 1937 to 1939 the yacht belonged to John C. Sword of Britain and was renamed the VALENA; at the outbreak of WW2, the yacht was requisitioned by the Admiralty, named HMS VALENA and used to hunt enemy submarines until 1945.
VALENA was returned to Mr. Sword and then sold to Pontos Cia de Nav (J. Lavanos), Panama and used for passenger service in the Mediterranean. The yacht was scrapped at La Spezia, Italy on December 30, 1951.
An aerial photograph of the HMS Valena can be seen here: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205017805
History of Use
In 1937, Englishman John Sword purchased the ALCEDO, had the yacht overhauled, and commissioned the taking of this and other photographs.Date
1937Dimensions
15.6 cm x 20.9 cmPhotograph Type
Gelatin silver processSubject/Image
a stateroom aboard TSSY DolauraMedium
PhotographicSupport
Paper, Photographic paperCountry of Origin
United KingdomRelated Objects
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