Transportation - Overview
Americans have always been a people on the move—on rails, roads, and waterways (for travel through the air, visit the National Air and Space Museum). In the transportation collections, railroad objects range from tools, tracks, and many train models to the massive 1401, a 280-ton locomotive built in 1926. Road vehicles include coaches, buggies, wagons, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, and automobiles—from the days before the Model T to modern race cars. The accessories of travel are part of the collections, too, from streetlights, gas pumps, and traffic signals to goggles and overcoats.
In the maritime collections, more than 7,000 design plans and scores of ship models show the evolution of sailing ships and other vessels. Other items range from scrimshaw, photographs, and marine paintings to life jackets from the Titanic.
"Transportation - Overview" showing 61 items.
Page 1 of 7
Painting, An Offshore Breeze, Isles of Shoals, Maine
- Description
- Mauritz Frederic Henri De Haas was born in Rotterdam, Holland, studied art at the Rotterdam Academy and served as official painter to the Dutch Navy. He emigrated to New York in 1859, shortly after his older brother Willem Frederick (1830-1880), also an artist, had done the same. During the Civil War, De Haas painted several naval actions for Admiral David Farragut; he won medals for three of his artworks at the 1876 Centennial, which helped bolster his reputation. He also exhibited a painting of Niagara Falls at the 1878 Paris Exposition.
- This painting portrays waves breaking on a short section of the rocky coastline of Isles of Shoals, a popular subject for him and other painters of the mid-19th century. In the distance are two unnamed steamers, identifiable by their lack of sail, while in the middle a small gaff-rigged sailboat-either a fishing boat or coastal cargo vessel-is visible under an approaching squall. The whitecaps on the tops of the waves show that it is a windy day out on the water.
- A few miles off the southern coast of Maine, the nine Isles of Shoals served as a perfect camp for generations of New England fishermen starting in the early 17th century. The islands were shared between New Hampshire and Maine in the mid-17th century. They may be named after the local schools or "shoals" of fish, rather than any shallow waters.
- The original Baroque-style frame for this piece is said to have been designed by De Haas himself. CIGNA's predecessor company acquired the painting in 1988.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1882
- maker
- De Haas, Mauritz F.H.
- ID Number
- 2005.0279.001
- accession number
- 2005.0279
- catalog number
- 2005.0279.001
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Painting, Seascape with American Ships
- Description
- Anglo-American marine painter George Robert Bonfield (1802-1898) was born in England; his family migrated to Philadelphia in the early 19th century, and Bonfield was apprenticed to a stonecutter (his father's trade). In his youth, he occasionally sketched at the New Jersey estate of Joseph Bonaparte, Napolean's exiled brother and former king of Naples and Spain. It was there that he had access to fine European marine paintings, which fostered his interest in the genre and influenced his individual style. Also influential was his study of the work of the prominent Philadelphia painter Thomas Birch, who focused on marine subjects for much of his oeuvre. Bonfield's work in the mid-19th century, which tended towards romantic rather than realistic treatment, was especially popular with Philadelphia merchants and shipowners, and he was active in numerous artistic societies, academies and societies. The Delaware River was a favorite background for his paintings, but the artist tended to name many of his works with generic titles that make it difficult to identify specific ships or places. His popularity declined after the Civil War.
- In the foreground is a small, open-decked gaff-rigged sailing vessel-probably a fishing boat-beached on the low tide. A crewman is leaning over the side to either take or give something to the man on the beach. Four similar craft ply the middle ground of the image. In the background are two full-rigged American ships; the nearer (larger) one has only topsails set, and the more distant vessel has no sails up and apparently is anchored into the wind. Unfortunately, the absence of any landmarks or detailed topography in this painting prevents identification of the scene.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1865
- maker
- Bonfield, George Robert
- ID Number
- 2005.0279.003
- accession number
- 2005.0279
- catalog number
- 2005.0279.003
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Painting, American Brig off Cape Ann, 1845
- Description
- Ship sailing on rough sea.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 20th century
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- 2005.0279.004
- accession number
- 2005.0279
- catalog number
- 2005.0279.004
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Painting, Ship William Penn
- Description
- Painted around 1850 by an unknown artist, this formal ship portrait portrays the Black Diamond Line's ship William Penn. The Black Diamond Line was established in 1846 in Philadelphia, PA and operated a line of regularly-scheduled packet ships to Liverpool, England until just before the Civil War.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1850
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- 2005.0279.005
- accession number
- 2005.0279
- catalog number
- 2005.0279.005
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Painting, Brig Peep O'Day
- Description
- This oil painting of the brig Peep O'Day is variously attributed to one of two 19th century British marine artists: either William Kimmins McMinn (1820-1898) or Joseph Heard (1799-1859). The vessel is shown in choppy water, approaching the North West Lightship off the English port of Liverpool; a local pilot schooner is approaching to drop off a pilot. Pilot boats were small, fast local craft that delivered pilots, or people with local knowledge of a port, to help navigate up to a wharf or anchorage.
- A popular ship name in the 19th century, Peep O'Day is a reference to a late 18th century Irish Protestant gang, who would raid the homes of Catholic weavers and destroy their machinery. The raids were carried out at dawn, or the peep of day. This brig was built in Waldoboro, Maine in 1848 as the Ella Fleming. A Civil War blockade runner in 1862, in the 1860s the vessel was purchased by a British ship owner and registered in Liverpool, England. The ship was later owned by several Irish owners and registered as a brigantine in 1898. It passed out of the registers in 1902.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1869
- maker
- Heard, Joseph
- McMinn, William Kimmins
- ID Number
- 2005.0279.006
- accession number
- 2005.0279
- catalog number
- 2005.0279.006
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Painting, Packet ship Berlin
- Description
- This oil by an unknown artist portrays the packet ship Berlin, built by C.V. Minot at Phippsburg, Maine in 1850. Packet ships were named after the packets of mail they transported. They ran on regular schedules, which helped plan commercial transactions. The three-masted square-rigged vessel is sailing into an unidentified harbor against a rocky coastline, with a lighthouse and steamship in the left background.
- Berlin measured 222 ft. 5 in. in length by 40 ft. in beam and 1634 tons. Berlin was sold to the Alaska Portland Packers Association at an unknown date and was registered out of Portland, Oregon. This company was most active in the early 20th century and operated a salmon fishery out of several small towns on the Alaskan coast. Berlin's final fate is unknown.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1850
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- 2005.0279.007
- accession number
- 2005.0279
- catalog number
- 2005.0279.007
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Painting, Clipper Ship Mandarin
- Description
- This formal ship portrait by an unknown Chinese artist depicts the clipper ship Mandarin sailing into Hong Kong harbor around the middle of the 19th century. All sails are set except for one on the mizzenmast, and the crew on the ship's bow are preparing to drop anchor in the harbor. One of the earliest extreme clipper ships built specifically for the California Gold Rush, Mandarin was launched at the New York shipyard of Smith & Dimon in June 1850.
- The ship was built on the packet ship model—relatively flat-floored and vertical-sided—which added cargo capacity. Measuring 151.5 ft in length by 33.5 ft in breadth and 776 tons, Mandarin was not particularly large, nevertheless, the smallish clipper ship was very swift, particularly during its later voyages. Mandarin was owned by Goodhue & Co. for the 12 years, then sold to former Goodhue partners Weston & Gray.
- Throughout the ship's 14-year life of ten round trips, the clipper had only two captains. Three of its voyages were to California; most of the others were to China. This painting would have been painted during one of these trips, but which one is not known. On one trip from New York to Melbourne, Australia in 1855/56, Mandarin set a 69-day 14-hour record that was never bested by a commercial sailing ship. Mandarin continued to trade into the Civil War, despite the massive rise in insurance rates connected with the conflict. On its 11th voyage, the ship cleared New York in December 1862 for Shanghai, and traded on the China coast until the summer of 1864. On 9 August 1864, en route back to the United States, Mandarin struck an uncharted rock 12 feet deep in the China Sea. All the passengers and crew were saved along with some of the cargo, but the ship was a total loss.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1850-1860
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- 2005.0279.008
- accession number
- 2005.0279
- catalog number
- 2005.0279.008
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Painting, British Barque Moss Rose
- Description
- The barque Moss Rose was built in 1863 by Thomas Hilyard (1810-1873) at St. Johns, New Brunswick, Canada. Hilyard is known to have built at least 48 ships; the smaller ones stayed in Canada and the larger ones were often sold to British owners. Moss Rose's original bill of sale is in the Hilyard family papers at the Maritime History Archive, Memorial University of Newfoundland.
- Moss Rose measured 153.3 ft long and 797 tons and and was first owned by Shute & Co. of Liverpool, Great Britain. In 1867, it was sold to Charles Hill of the Albion Dock, Bristol, England, and he retained the ship's original captain Bustin until 1881. Moss Rose remained in service until 1886 and was abandoned the following year.
- In this painting, Moss Rose is shown off the South Stack, Holyhead Mountain, the Skerries, Anglesey, North Wales. The Skerries Reef and lighthouse are to the left of the painting, and the harbor of Holyhead is hidden behind the hull of the barque. At the foremast flies a pilot jack, or flag requesting a pilot. Behind the ship, a two-masted pilot schooner races for the ship, which has just begun to shorten sail in order to lose enough speed to take on a pilot from the schooner. Art historian A.S. Davidson has identified this painting as by Liverpool marine painter Francis Hustwick, based upon a variety of factors, including the outdated British ensign (flag) with a white border flying off the stern.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1863-1880
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- 2005.0279.009
- accession number
- 2005.0279
- catalog number
- 2005.0279.009
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Painting, Packet Ship Ontario
- Description
- Grinnell, Minturn & Company owned two ships named Ontario. Benjamin Minturn also owned a third ship named Ontario with John T. Champlin. The ship featured in the painting is most likely Ontario (II). It was built in New Castle, Maine for Grinnell, Minturn & Company in 1854, measuring 202 feet in length, 40 feet 3 inches in beam, 20 feet in depth of hold, and 1,501 tons. The ship entered the Blue Swallowtail Line service in 1854, sailing regularly from New York to Liverpool until 1858. From 1858 to 1863 it conducted regular service from New York to London for the Red Swallowtail Line. Both the Blue Swallowtail Line and Red Swallowtail Line were owned by Grinnell, Minturn & Company. After 1863 the ship did not sail for any regular service but made trips between New York and Europe when needed. The company was active until about 1880.
- The painting shows a right profile of the vessel sailing off Dover Castle, one of the oldest and largest castles in England. This site is known as "the Gateway to England," as it marks the shortest distance across the English Channel to France. Ontario is showing the U.S. jack in diminutive form and is calling for a pilot; all its sails are unfurled except one in the rear. The ship is flying the Marryat Code 1/9162. The Grinnell house flag, which is blue and white with a swallow tail, is also flying. There is a carved flag swag on the bow of the ship. Other sailing and steam vessels can be seen in the distance.
- Richard B. Spencer was a British painter active between 1840 and 1873. His subjects were mainly sailing vessels or naval engagements. Spencer is considered a folk artist, as he had no formal training in art.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- artist
- Spencer, R. B.
- ID Number
- 2005.0279.010
- accession number
- 2005.0279
- catalog number
- 2005.0279.010
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Painting of a Clipper Ship and Barque
- Description
- The painting shows two vessels in rough water, possibly off Cape Horn. At an earlier time, it was thought that this was a painting of the clipper Sea Witch, but this is most likely not the case.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- unknown
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- 2005.0279.011
- catalog number
- 2005.0279.011
- accession number
- 2005.0279
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center